Spellbound
by Sdebeli
Summary: Ignorance is bliss. This simple truth has kept humanity safe from collapsing into chaos for over a thousand years...however, as one young mage and his friends are soon to find out as the darkness begins encroaching, nothing lasts forever.
1. Shadows in the Night

**Author's Ramblings and Preface to the Story:**

Yep, another Naruto crossover, this time with Negima, as I've gotten inspired while reading said story. This time I'm using a 'clean' character, so to speak, so you'll have no idea what he's capable of or is up to. The story should have a slightly darker feel to it than most of the stories I've written, bu then again, who knows where my inspiration will take me. No previous knowledge will be required to understand this story, however, I will be basing the stuff inside on a number of mythologies, some fantasy works I've read, and a number of my own crazy ideas.

The story starts at the second part of the trip to the Library Island, therefore, I'd suggest reading the part before it for reference... it's some four or five chapters, no more.

Any pairings as of yet are unknown. Might be one, might be none, who knows? Two things, while Naruto will be quite old, he isn't all-knowing or all powerful, and second, don't expect him to be a stupid little idiot who knows nothing of the world.

Other than what I've stated, all will be revealed in time.

Oh and one more bit of important nonsense

**Disclaimer: **I do not own neither Naruto nor Negima (or whatever it's exactly named. I really can't be bothered to search at this point), I only own the original stuff I put into this story and that's it. And this isn't a work for profit. Happy?

* * *

_Spellbound_

_Chapter 1 : Shadows in the Night_

Rain. He always enjoyed the droplets, especially during his hunts. Lightning cracked, for a moment enlightening the landscape before him. Normal scents were hard to track under such conditions, but the scent of magic... it only became clearer with the rain. It had taken him the better part of a year to track down his prey, and the target was here, in Mahora Academy. He had felt the detection barrier that surrounded the place, and while very powerful, it was a joke to bypass to someone of his caliber.

"What do you think, will she prove a challenge?" he quietly asked the figure next to him, which promptly dissolved in response, and a strange pair of bracers formed on his arms, their form concealed by a dark cloak, while a hood concealed his face, revealing only a faint outline in the lightning.

"I agree. We haven't had a hunt this interesting in a while." he commented again, speaking with his unseen partner.

He stood atop the ruined clock tower, silently crouching and observing the area around him. The trace was faint, but clear, so he leaped down, landing on all fours, but making nearly no sound against the rain, a silent smile covering the barely visible part of his face. And then he ran...

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She quietly looked at the weather outside. The warm interior of the shrine that had become her home felt comforting against the cold weather. She smiled serenely as she took the bottle of gun oil, carefully cleaning the interior of her pistol, before applying it. Next to it on the table was a small press, made specially for filling bullets, along with a cardboard box that contained a hundred already filled ones. She had long ago learned to make her bullets on her own, a precaution many mercenaries back home took. The weapons themselves were a fine mixture of magic and science, crafted from a high quality alloy, while using a number of enchanted gems to speed up firing, reloading and accelerate bullets as needed, as well as insulate the interior from moisture, excessive heat and cold. It was a custom job, though in appearance it had little difference from a normal pistol, it's finely tuned mechanism only showing itself in combat.

Finally content that her weapons were ready, she took the two pistols, gently laying them on a piece of cloth before going to take a shower. They were perfectly safe in her room, as the others who lived there knew better than to tinker with her belongings. She slowly removed the robe that covered her dark skin, gently undoing the binds on her hair as well, letting it fall freely onto her shoulders. Setting the water to a comfortable warmth, she entered the shower, taking her time to rinse her body.

She let the water rush over her, washing away the daily grime and dirt, while the warmth relaxed her muscles. The day had been a trying one, as the headmaster had a plethora of smaller jobs for her to do... the money was welcome though, so she had finished them all, taking out over a dozen minor demons who had the idea of breaking in, along with escorting a small number of dignitaries and helping out her young sensei. The boy was intriguing to her, he could be naïve and childish at one moment, or mature, perceptive and levelheaded in another. Continuing her bath, she once more lathered her shoulders and upper torso, taking special care along the lines of the two small scars she had gotten during her work, gently tracing the shallow lines along the back of her left shoulder.

It was then that she felt it first, a presence on the border of her senses, calling. It was demonic in origin, but unusually calm and subdued. A call, she was now certain, directed at her. A shiver traveled up her spine as she got out of the shower, hurrying towards the guns when she realized that the presence wasn't approaching, rather it waited. Disregarding that, she still took the two pistols, along with the proper ammunition and only then proceeded to dress herself, picking out a light, but waterproof outfit. She was only slightly angered by the fact that she would have to get out in the storm, and during night. She was more worried that whoever it was, he or she knew exactly what they were doing. Well, at least she had the time to properly prepare, and prepare she did, gathering every single additional weapon she cold think of at the time. The aged headmaster would forgive her for that much.

Taking one last look at her room, she walked outside, uttering a silent prayer in hope to see the place again.

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The darkened figure grinned at the other approaching one.

"I was almost worried you wouldn't come" he jovially stated, bringing an annoyed huff from the girl.

"Who'd refuse such a polite invitation" she answered, voice dripping with sarcasm. Even with her fine sight, she couldn't see the face of the person before her through the rain. The street lamps were next to useless, as their faint light only cast a shadow over the hooded face.

"No need to be so unpleasant Tatsumiya Mana" the man, judging from the voice, calmly stated "You should have known to expect this ever sine you broke the agreement." he honestly commented, bringing out a shocked face from the young woman "Did you really think that there would be no consequences merely because you fled a great distance?"

"I... expected this day would come. I suppose you are here to either kill me or capture me?" she asked, a moment's incertitude fading away to her determination to survive. Neither of the two choices he offered appealed to her, so she was in the mood for a third one, fighting.

"Something along those lines" the man slowly responded, pulling back the hood, and revealing a relatively young face. A bolt of lightning cracked from the heavens, dramatically lighting the small path they stood on, and revealing the young man's face to her. He had short, but spiky blond hair, and tanned skin, the cheeks baring something between a birthmark and a scar that oddly reminded her of whiskers. However it was the eyes that truly scared her. Sapphire glaciers that stared right trough her, but at the same time, there was a strange warmth behind them, as if the coldness was merely a mask hiding something behind. The lips were quirked into a strange, whimsical smile.

"Tell me then demon, what is your name? I would like to know which name to write down on my kill list" Mana calmly asked, bringing up a content smile of her own

"That's the spirit!" he shouted joyfully over the drum of the rain "The name's Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto. Shall we dance milady?" he cheerfully asked, turning to a half-bow and extending his hand in mock invitation. Mana barely noted the pair of bracers on his wrists before she pulled out the two pistols and opened fire. It was past twelve already, during a storm. No one would be outside now.

Naruto laughed as the bullets whistled past him, for the time being content to be on the defensive. He was very curious just how capable the girl had been, as he had accepted the contract for reasons far different from those his employers had assumed.

The open field was to his advantage, as it offered precious little cover. Without trees on either side of the road, and the small barrier he had set up to stop any bullets from leaving, they would likely remain undetected. He twisted and turned with great speed, using small bursts of magical energy to propel his body in various impossible directions. It was nearly impossible to have a reaction time fast enough to dodge bullets naturally, however, if one could see the position of the pistol, with proper training it was child's play to dodge them. And to his eyes, her hands moved very, _very _slowly, even with only the limited light to illuminate them.

The young mercenary grunted as she unloaded another salvo of bullets at her opponent. Naruto still hadn't attacked her, and that worried her very much. Her opponent wasn't nearly as foolish as she had originally though. So far, he was merely dodging, but her supply of bullets wasn't endless. She needed a change of plans. With a smirk on her face, she pulled out the first of her trump cards as it were, in the shape of a small vial.

_'Let's see how he likes that'_ she mused as she threw the vial in his direction, quietly muttering the activation phrase.

The blond chuckled lightly under the rain as the vial flew towards him. He had expected something of such sort, having made a careful study of his prey before coming here. The vial was a store of magical energy, while a number of minor symbols prepared spell that could be stored for later use. He had no idea what the spell would be though, so he prepared a minor reflection barrier. It would likely shatter on contact, but it wold also sate his curiosity, if only for a moment. Making a fake dodge to get a bit further away from the vial, his eyes only slightly widened as the vial exploded into an expanding sphere of ice, riddled with spikes.

"Brilliant..." he quietly muttered as one of the spikes burst past his barrier and straight into his right arm, being barely blocked by his bracer. It was a very clever choice, as he had visibly underestimated the spell. Even he, regardless of his power could be killed by a well placed blow, a harsh lesson he had to learn a long time ago, though he had since then taken a number of precautions to help himself out.

"My turn" he added a bit more loudly, making sure that she would notice it.

The bracers faded away into nothingness, soon replaced by a pair of rather unusual-looking weapons. A short circle of metal with a handle within it, and two long blades going the same way, the bladed weapon having the same color the bracers did, that of rusted iron. Instead of grasping the handle, Naruto placed his flattened palms above them, one over each, as the blades begun to spin, speed increasing until they had turned into a pair of flat disks, spinning at great speed.

Mana hadn't been foolish enough to wait for him to complete whatever he was doing, now growing slowly aware just how powerful the entity sent against her was. If she didn't finish this soon, while he was still toying with her, _she_ _would die,_ and nothing she did would stop that. The ice of her last spell had already started melting down, without the magic to sustain it, it was hardly surprising, but it would serve her well regardless. She pulled out the remaining eight vials, each inscribed with a different spell. The two pistols were back in their holsters just for a few moments as she rapidly chanted the sequence that would activate them all in a cascade that would hopefully overwhelm her enemy.

The vials spread in a perfect octagonal formation around Naruto, just as she finished the last verse, triggering their activation.

He grinned wildly as he realized that she was pulling out all the stops, likely realizing that he as far more powerful than she originally thought. The spells she had launched this time were a lot more powerful, and worse still, they were in synch, each adding to the others' strength by either adding more firepower, or sabotaging him.

He moved his palms rapidly to block off what he expected to be the worst of the attack, aware that he had left himself open to Mana's attacks. He could have done more, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. He had a number of contingencies in mind.

The first four vials exploded, sending four waves of fire in a cross shaped pattern streaming towards his body, further strengthened by a gust of wind, the flames turning white-hot. The other four however, were the ones that surprised him, as the energy leaked into the ground beneath him, four pillars rapidly rising to restrain his arms and legs, to force him to take the blow head on. '_Damn clever_'

But it was time to end this. He couldn't afford to make much of a scene, so the _really_ flashy arsenal was off-limits, but that didn't stop him from using his other abilities. Without as much as twitching, he simply disappeared in the moment the four streams of fire were about to crash into him, his disappearance hidden by the steam formed from the evaporating rain. He had only then noticed that one of the vials had a different purpose, to further fuel the ice and stab him through.

_'No wonder the amount she was given... this girl would have been the death of me if I was a bit more careless, powerful or not.' _Naruto thought, standing a few feet behind her, still thankfully unnoticed.

Mana calmed down, if only slightly. She had won, if only by a hair's width, but why did it feel so tense? She realized that only when she lowered her pistols that she was not alone.

She prepared herself for a strike, half expecting it to end, when she heard clapping from behind her.

"Most impressive lady of the Hellas." he stated, voice clearly displaying that he meant it.

"Just end it already, or must you gloat?" she spat in resignation, misreading his intent.

"Gloat?" Naruto asked, voice clearly surprised "The idea never occurred to me." he stated, and Mana could swear that for a moment she heard the rustling of leaves as she felt the demon's presence move from several meters behind, to right behind her. "No, I am merely impressed" he continued in a serious voice.

She was fuming inside, though she kept a calm front. There was one more trick she had up her sleeve, one she didn't want to use, but she could see no choice now. It was do or die. Her hand snaked down to her pocket, pulling at what would seem to be a tarot card with her image on it. Her left eye changed as she pulled on her own limited supplies of magic, the Demon Eye springing into life as she began rapidly forcing all of her energy to fuel the broken pact between her and her long dead friend.

It would have taken her just a few more seconds to finish it when a hand grabbed hers, stopping her in her tracks, and ending the flow of magic.

"Don't." he quietly ordered, and to her surprise she found herself obeying, the voice laced with his authority _commanding_ her.

"It isn't worth it, especially since I'm no longer interested in capturing or killing you" he added, and she only slightly calmed down, beside herself "Besides, did you truly believe I used _all_ of my power?" he commented, sending a shiver up her spine. She sighed lowly against the thinning rain, the growing silence engulfing them

"So what now?" she asked as Naruto let go of her hand.

"Who knows? I'm a freelancer anyway... maybe I'll look for a new job, but regardless of it, this is such a curious place, with so many interesting people. For what it's worth, it would be a shame if something were to happen to them, so I'll be watching for now, I"m in dire need of a vacation anyway. I give you my word though, I will not attack anyone unless provoked" he explained, turning around and starting to walk towards the shrine where he had sensed her earlier, stopping a few seconds later "You wouldn't mind if I stayed at your place for the night, would you? I don't think I'd manage to find proper accommodation " he asked in a kinder voice, sounding slightly embarrassed. That surprised her, even if only a little. For a demon, he acted very much like a human being, and she hated to admit it, but he had come to interest her as well

"Fine" she groaned out, agreeing mostly because she didn't see another option. As much as she simply wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, it wasn't the smart thing to do, and she was sure it would come to bite her in the ass. So she did it, even if she didn't want to.

"Let's go demon-boy, I need to catch some sleep or I'll be late to school in the morning" she spoke, speeding past him, too tired to argue. She'd leave it to the 'dean' to take care of things, however he chose to.

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Naruto found himself deeply entertained by the actions of his unwilling hostess. Even though she apparently hated his guts on several levels, the least issue being the fact that he was a demon, she still played the part, offering him a futon and even tea. He quietly smiled as she retired for the night, leaving him to take care of himself. He really didn't need to wash himself after standing in the rain.

He pulled out a cellphone, idly taking a look at the time, before his fingers rapidly pressed down a number of keys, and he moved the phone to his ear.

"Keis?" he shortly asked, smiling when the person on the other side of the line confirmed "Tell Richter and Skadi where I'm at, would you?" short pause " Thanks dear, you're the best. Ah, can you also set me up with the headmaster for tomorrow around ten? Yes Keis, I finished my job. Rank? A+ unless I'm sorely mistaken, and you can pass it through to the client. Fine, I'll talk to you later, take care. Yes Keis, I'll buy it as soon as we're scheduled to meet again. Yah... Spellbound out"

He smiled again, a content, if slightly tired smile before clearing the log once more and replacing the phone back in his pocket. Now that he had removed the cloak, the clothes he wore beneath once more became visible. Black jeans and a dark blue shirt with a simple leather jacket over it. He looked to be around 17 by his features, but the entire stance and look spoke of someone far older. The face was relaxed, unmarred except for a shallow scar that ran from beneath his left ear to the collarbone .Barely visible until he removed the jacket was an elegant gauntlet that covered his right arm

"Be a dear and let me slip out of my clothes, would you?" he quietly asked, looking at his gauntlet intently.

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Mana watched her guest curiously from a safe distance. She had overheard a short part of his conversation over the phone., curious as to just who Keis was until she heard the name he refereed himself to. That turned her into a quivering mess. She almost missed the final thing he said, thinking he was talking to her until she realized that he was talking to the gauntlet on his hand. She looked at him a bit strangely, until she recognized the color, and the gantlet dissolved into a fine mist, seeping into his body through his skin.

"Crazy woman" she heard him mutter, offering it a slight smile as he began undressing. She chose that moment to leave, rather than to look at him undressing. She had enough of her own concerns, and she certainly didn't want to stare at his... she ended the train of though there, feeling disgusted with herself as she lay down in her bed.

An hour passed, and she found that she couldn't sleep, her mind a maelstrom of thoughts. Outside, the storm had subsided, leaving a clear, night sky. The dull, barely perceptible ache in her left eye reminded her just who was in the room next to hers. Why did she agree to let him, a demon spend the night here in the shrine? Better yet, were the stories she heard about him true? Was he really just toying with her? Which questions were going to be on the test tomorrow? Should she order materials for FMJ or AP ammo? Those questions and many more haunted her thoughts as her consciousness finally faded and she drifted off to sleep.

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Naruto once more slightly smiled as he looked at the sleeping girl, gently walking over to the place where he was certain she set down the Pactio card from before. He gingerly pulled it out from her light jacket, taking a short, but sad look at it. Whoever the contract was with was long dead. But still, there were a few tricks how to trigger it again, one of which she had almost used, fueling it with her own magic. He focused on the card, focusing his own magic in an impromptu ritual. It was a relatively simple process, if you knew how to do it. He sighed as the image restored itself to it's rightful state, the change, apart from the restored text, being minimal in the form of a tiara on her head, a small box appearing in the corner, with the number 3 written inside

"A small apology, lady of the Hellas" he muttered, taking out a small piece of paper an wrapping up the card in it before leaving it next to her bed and walking out. Unlike her, he didn't have school in the morning, and the night was still young

He pulled the falling comforter she used to cover herself over her, gently tucking her in before wrapping the cloak around himself and leaving.

As soon as he stepped outside he took a deep breath of the fresh after rain air, enjoying the barely perceptible fragrance. The night had started well enough, perhaps it would end just as well. If only he could find what he was looking for. He focused his eyes on the small island just a bit away from the main one, the site of Mahora's legendary library. If there was a place on this planet where he could find what he was looking for, it would be there.

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She jerked herself up as the alarm rang, throwing the dark comforter off completely. Tatsumiya Mana was hardly a morning person, but she didn't have the time nor the will to bitch about it. She quickly and efficiently dressed herself, picking up her things one by one until she came to the small nightstand next to her bed, curiously gazing at the card and note wrapped around it, eyes once more widening when she realized what had happened

'_They say that Gaia watches over those dear to her. May whatever deity you pray to protect you, lady of the Hellas. Consider this small gift an apology for last night. Oh, and enjoy your breakfast_'

She dropped the note into her pocket and the card into another, making a small, if hesitant smile. Whoever he was, Naruto Uzumaki was interesting to her, she had to admit that much.

She walked to the other room, not in the least surprised to notice a full meal waiting for her. Could things get any stranger? Less than twelve hours ago they were at each others' throats, or more accurately, she was at his, while he messed around, and now he was acting all friendly, and worse, she found that she couldn't bring herself to care about the fact that he was a demon

She had made a final check of her belongings, making sure everything was in place, and that no other curious details were added. Precautions were precautions, and even if he acted friendly, he could still prove to be dangerous, regardless of reputation, though his given word at least ensured that he wouldn't go out and attack people. Demons were proud, or in rarer cases, honorable beings, and either trait made sure they would keep their word once given

She finished her simple, but tasty breakfast, idly sifting through the several unopened letters that were on her table, a few of them bills, others job offers. At this point she wasn't in the mood, and she knew she could skip it for one day without consequence, opting to go to school normally and then pay a visit to the public bath, to relax for the rest of the day. Yes, that would work nicely.

Still, she wondered just how he managed to sneak out while leaving breakfast without her noticing it...

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There were a number of people to who the day had not started so well. Takehata Takimichi, currently employed as an art teacher was one of those people. While generally calm and rather relaxed, the job he got this morning concerned him. He was to escort yet another newcomer to the area, an expert on magical security as it were. Konoemon was rather relaxed at the barely detected intrusion last night, along with the apparent attack on Tatsumiya Mana, though the girl showed no sign of it this morning.

The train station was packed as ever, as there was a number of people who didn't stay in the dorms on the island, rather staying in shared apartments on the mainland. While the academy was divided into sub-schools by grade and gender, many of the institutions within it, such as the infirmary, hospital and cafeteria weren't. He was uncertain how he would recognize the person he was told to pick up, especially since the aged headmaster jokingly stated that he would stand out.

The weather had calmed down since last night, the occasional puddle remaining around, but he had still chosen to carry an umbrella. The overcast sky above was still gray, setting up an unpleasant mood. He gently reset his glasses, taking a look at the station building.

"Best get this over with..." he spoke in a low tone. He liked his job as a teacher, but the occasional chores were testing even to his near limitless patience.

He walked in, answering the greetings of various current and former students as he noted a single immobile figure, standing like a rock against the moving sea around him. He found that his superior was indeed right. He stood out like a sore thumb. He was seemingly a teen, seventeen from what he heard. A dark gray coat covered most of him, a similarly gray wool shawl wrapped around his neck, leaving only his face uncovered, and the short and spiky blond hair to fall down. His expression was bewildered by the horde of students around him.

Takimichi suppressed a light chuckle. Perhaps the young man wouldn't be an annoyance.

He raised his hand and waved at him, the blond immediately reacting with a smile and a wave in turn while walking over.

"You must be Takehata-san" the blond happily stated

"And you would be Uzumaki-san then?" Takimichi asked in turn, pleased by the nod the young man gave

"I swear, I nearly started panicking back there. Konoe-dono said I'd easily recognize the person sent to greet me" Naruto exasperatedly said, bringing a short laugh from the seemingly older teacher.

"Don't worry, he said the same to me" he shortly returned between chuckles "Come on. I'll take you to the headmaster"

"Thanks. Sorry for the trouble" Naruto retorted, following his guide.

Naruto found Mahora to be a far more enjoyable place by daylight, as the lush greenery that was invisible under the limited light last night. The architecture was mixed, but pleasantly so, mostly western, with a bit of Mediterranean architecture sprinkled about in good taste. A point of curiosity was the massive tree that grew near the center of the island, it's form towering over the campus. It was a warm, pleasant place, one could easily come to call home. The trek continued in relative silence, as they slowly approached what was likely the main building, passing by a number of students on the way as they climbed the stairs to enter.

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It was tiring in many ways, this subtlety he had to practice. Naruto didn't have the patience most demons his age had achieved, but then again he didn't also acquire a scheming streak that was equally present, nor the desires to 'conquer the universe' and 'bath the lands in the blood of mortals'. That aside, of all the things in the universe, the one he hated would be waiting. His host had at least been civil enough to provide tea and newspapers for reading. His ears perked up when he heard the voice of an old man calling

"Shizuna-kun, would you please see our guest in?" came the voice he was quite certain belonged to Konoemon Konoe, the headmaster of Mahora Academy. A few moments later, the door to the office opened, revealing a rather busty young woman in her mid-twenties, with long greenish hair.

"Uzumaki-san, the headmaster will see you now" she shortly stated before pointing to the door politely, and walking away. The blond blinked shortly and walked in, mildly surprised by the sheer size of the office, as well as by the appearance of the headmaster. He had heard of the man many times before, but never met him in person, even if they fought on the same side many years ago.

He had to stifle a laugh at the man's less than impressive appearance, reminding himself of the fact that appearances could and would deceive. The old man was shorter than he was, nearing baldness, apart from the back part which was tied into an impressive tail, a long, graying beard, and a bushy mustache along with equal eyebrows. His clothing was simple, but the demeanor was cheerful, if a bit controlled.

"Welcome" he kindly greeted him "Have a seat Naruto-san, we have a lot to talk about"

The older man had a rather unique presence, one that somewhat reminded him of another old man from his old home. Even though cheerful, it was a man of authority, something he respected. He quietly sat down in the chair opposite from the headmaster's own.

"Now then, let's start with your visit last night" he sweetly said, bringing up a smile on Naruto

"You hired my group to run a check on your security and then improve it where possible. How do you expect me to do so without first testing it?" he instantly responded.

"Oh? And an attack on a certain Tatsumiya Mana, along with breaking into the library island was part of that test?" Konoe asked, the normally lidded eyes opening only slightly. Naruto shrugged off the minor magic sent in his direction by the old man, surprised by the lack of a focus object and of any visible action from him at the same time. His smile faded instantly, and he moved his hand to the inner pocket of his coat, bringing on a barely perceptible twitch from the headmaster as he withdrew a calling card from it, sliding it across the massive hardwood desk.

"You hired me knowing I was a demon Konoe-san. And for the record, I haven't dealt a single blow to the young lady. Your defenses are first rate, but they wouldn't stop a powerful demon from entering, nor would they stop a skilled mage from doing the same. At best, they _might_ give you advance warning. As to my visit to your library, I wanted to pay a visit to an old friend. A certain colonel that likes chicken. Though I doubt you called me here for the small talk, as a call to the Black Legion would only mean that you expect trouble" he finished, offering only an eerie smile to his host. The headmaster merely chuckled at his rebuttal, seemingly not in the least surprised.

"As expected of you. I would be disappointed if it were otherwise. Let's just say I have an offer. I understand you're trying to lay low for a while?"

"Correct." Naruto shortly responded "What do you have in mind?"

* * *

**Author's Notes:** End of chapter 1. I came up with this idea on the way home from a party. Anyho, it will b a lot darker than the original manga, as it was more inspired by the anime version Negima than it. I've taken certain creative liberties, as usual.

For those curious, Naruto is a demon, and a rather old one at it. The various OCs and organizations mentioned will be explained over time. Let's just say that a lot of it bears some significance.

Also, while it isn't mentioned anywhere specifically, the timeframe of the story is after the Blackout arc, when Negi defeats Evangeline. I haven't yet decided how big a role he will play in this story, but he will be one of the important characters. Though I'm still wondering just how well will I juggle thirty+ characters... pairings, if any are as of yet undecided, but there will likely be a short fling or two.

Regardless of it, read, review, tell me what you think about it and offer suggestions. The other stories will hopefully be updated soon.


	2. Setting of the Board

**Author's Ramblings : ** Well, here's the second chapter. I wanted to portray a few characters here without any major events occurring yet.

Now, a fact many of you will find OC. I've decided to portray Evangeline as somewhat different from her original in the manga, where she acted like... a brat most of the time. I can't really remember anyone stating her exact age, but I've decided to place her turning at some unknown point near the end of the Hundred Year War, obviously in England, as nobility. From there you get the manners she does possess, even if she doesn't use them all that often (after all, apart from her immediate servants, no one apparently treats her with respect. Negi cares for her and calls her master(as in teacher), but it's not the same thing, if you get what I mean, while all the others either fear her or mess around with her)

* * *

_Chapter 2 : Setting of the Board_

"As expected of you. I would be disappointed if it were otherwise. Let's just say I have an offer. I understand you're trying to lay low for a while?"

"Correct." Naruto shortly responded "What do you have in mind?"

"You might have noticed, but there is a number of high-profile students here, including my own granddaughter. It is slightly challenging for me to ensure their safety, especially since a lot of them attract attention from various _groups._ In addition, we received a new teacher this year..." he trailed off, noting that the last statement attracted Naruto's attention

"So the rumors weren't off... that boy Negi is here then?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Indeed, he and a number of others. But I digress. What I offer is something akin to your usual 'watch' jobs. The position you would take is Chief of Security at Mahora Academy, as our previous one retired due to failing health a few weeks ago. You would start as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow. Your pay would be according to the usual Black Legion contracting" the old man explained to Naruto, who merely listened before pulling out a few details of his own.

"That sounds... interesting. However, I may have a few stipulations of my own, if you don't mind"

"Speak"

"First, I need lodgings here. I can't very well provide protection if I'm far away" Naruto stated

"Acceptable"

"Second, I am asking for access to the library during any off time I might have, as I have recently started renewing my studies on things such as medicine and botany. I understand that the island has an... impressive collection of books on the subject, both ordinary and extraordinary" he continued.

The old man laughed shortly before answering "That as well. Though the collection on the subject of botany might not be as rich as you might hope. Anything else?"

"There is one final... if a bit unusual request. "

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Naruto smiled faintly as he twirled the keys around his finger, slowly walking towards his new place of residence, at least for the time being. He had gotten a room in the so-called teacher's dorms, a relatively comfortable place as he understood. The directions were simple, so he had reached the building within minutes.

The room was on the third floor, facing the open waters. It was a comfortable place, reminiscent of a bachelor pad, though there was the distinct lack of a kitchen. The main room consisted of a large bed, a desk in the corner under the widow, and a wooden chest meant for keeping clothes, along with several recliners surrounding a coffee table. A single door which he noted led to the bathroom, two windows, only one open entry to the room. Just fine as far as he was concerned.

He pulled off the coat, revealing his rather plain clothes beneath, gray pants and a gray shirt. However it was what he wore over it that would perhaps draw attention. A modified brown leather harness made specially to hold scrolls and vials, with two straps going in an X over his chest and an additional belt lined with similar openings. Each and every one of the sixty slots was filled, thirty scrolls, thirty vials of unknown content. Aside from that, two additional holsters were present, these made the proper size for two pistols, but glaringly empty compared to the others. He undid it, throwing it casually on the bed before pulling out his cellphone, and tapping in a few numbers quickly.

"Hey Keis, it's me again. What do you mean what do I want? I need a little favor..." he asked, voice quickly turning serious"can you dig up something for me? Yeah, it's that again. The brand is acting up, and I don't know how much time I've got left before it starts again. Yeah, I will, you too. I'll be sending over the data first thing in the morning, okay? Bye"

He ended the call, once more clearing up the logs. Keis would take care of the other details, such as the company logs. To him it was almost funny just how good she was with computers, considering that hacking was one of the few skills he never managed to master, regardless how much he tried.

Well, the headmaster did say his job would only start tomorrow, but he still wanted to get a better feel for the area in which he worked for the time being.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An unusual amount of tension filled the classroom that day. Still there was a number of those oblivious to that, and among them was the resident boy-teacher, Negi Springfield. Now, it would be unfair to claim the boy to be stupid or unobservant, it was simply the fact that he was still recovering from his bout with a vampire. Not to mention that the vampire was one of his students, Evangeline McDowell. He found her hard to understand, but he really didn't mind much, as he realized that he lacked the experience to do so.

Regardless, it had ended well, and with the trip to Kyoto only a week away, things would return to normal at least for a while... but why did he have a strange feeling that something was about to happen?

He turned to his rambunctious class, a gentle smile on his face. The age behind it was out of place on a ten-year-old's face, but then again, who ever said he was an ordinary kid? He was mildly surprised to notice Evangeline sitting near the back, accompanied by Chachamaru, and he was happy that she kept her word.

"Settle down class, and let's begin with today's test" he started, and to his amazement, they did just that... maybe he was getting a hang of this teacher thing?

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On the other side of the classroom there were several troubled minds. First among those belonged to Evangeline, the resident vampire. Though she had the body (and at times the mannerisms) of a child, she was ancient by most standards, having been turned nearing the end of the Hundred Year War. The boy wizard Negi had defeated her, even if it was by pure chance and miscalculation on her part. He had no reason apart from his own kindness to save her after she began falling, and yet he did so without a moment's thought. She would never admit it, even under torture, but she owed him for that one.

However, Negi wasn't the only source of her discomfort. She had sensed someone last night, a dark presence she had felt many times, almost always on the opposing side of the battlefield, but never faced directly. The form she had felt at the end of more than several plots and schemes over the centuries, but never managed to catch. She had never learned of his or her identity, but the power, no, the skill and finesse with which he or she could use it... it was frightening, enough to concern her at the peak of her own strength. It was like her in many ways, the shapeless form that pulled the strings from the shadows, except that this one, she was certain, maintained a public profile all the time, even if she couldn't figure it out. And that form was currently walking just outside the building, heading in the direction of _her_ cottage.

A feeling of rage bubbled up inside her, suppressing all thoughts of fear. Did it finally come for her? Did it want to end her life after all these centuries? She sincerely doubted it was there for tea.

_'To hell with it all, I'll face the bastard this time' _she mused, mind already plotting a painful demise for her 'foe', while she finished up her test.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Another would have been Mana, who had until now been relatively calm, enjoying one of the few safe havens she had. Here she was beyond the reach of her enemies. Here she would be safe.

So why was the infuriating demon from last night walking around, not even bothering to hide his presence? What could he possibly be doing? She had decided that he wasn't plotting anything for the time being, but why was he here? Why the hell didn't he return from whence he came and just leave her alone?

She nearly smacked herself at the last thought. Whatever reason he had, he certainly wasn't there to torment her. If he was, he wouldn't have done any of the things he did that morning. She still couldn't believe that he actually reactivated her Pactio card, even if it was for only a limited number of uses. She never knew it to be even possible, but then again, this wasn't just anyone she was considering. If the name he used was real, and by all accounts it seemed so, Naruto Uzumaki wasn't anyone to be trifled with. The title 'Spellbound' belonged to one particular demon, a generally benevolent influence from behind the curtains of history, at least according to the stories. Why he did what he did was known only to him, and perhaps his very small circle of friends. He would appear at times, helping out whatever side he apparently thought was in the right, for as long as he willed, only to vanish at some point. Curiously though, none of the rumors ever divulged just how he got that name, merely that he identified himself as such. For all she knew, it could have been an inherited title that went from one to another to create a fearsome reputation. Things like that had been done before.

She gave up her thoughts on the subject, mind returning to focus on the test in front of her. She could just ask him, she argued as she started completing the test, aware of the ten minutes remaining to the end of it. Just enough time.

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The third to worry about the 'strange' presence that was a certain blonde was Setsuna Sakurazaki, Shinmeiryu swordswoman and demon slayer, another of 3-A's more unusual characters (though one could argue that there were _any_ ordinary people there). She was protective of a certain someone to an extreme, and demons constituted a major threat in her book. But it would, unfortunately, have to wait for a while longer, at least until the test was finished

Her idle mind (unburdened by the, to her at least, easy test) went through the various possible scenarios, and the countermeasures she would use if necessary. And then her mind slipped to her own plight, and to her long time friend, even if she had decided that she would not show it again to better protect her. She needed to grow stronger, for her sake. Why did life have to be so complicated?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The day's sunlight was indeed enjoyable, Naruto thought as he walked through the campus grounds, heading towards where he was informed was the residence of one of the more knowledgeable and dangerous residents of Mahora, Evangeline A.K. McDowell. However, he knew her by a few other names, most of them from the times she spread terror against her would-be foes. Terrible and beautiful at the same time, he had seen her once or twice over the years, but he made sure that she didn't see, or at least figure out him. It was too much of a risk to do so.

So, he quietly continued his trek towards the small cottage he was told she lived at, enjoying the beauty of the area around him.

His senses were generally sharp, though little more than your above average demon... his ability to track the scent of magic came at a cost, so he relied on detection and defense barriers to keep enemies out. He gently smiled as he reminded himself of it. It was a popular misconception that being that were old would also be invariably unbeatable... but he didn't mind keeping up that illusion, as it kept the riffraff from challenging him. No being would spend every waking day for a thousand years only training... it would drive him or her insane. He had spend years at a time learning some skills which quickly became obsolete, and others that still served him to this day.

He gazed at the heavens above, sighing tiredly. It had been almost a millennium since he appeared in this world, after his death in his own. At first, he tried his hardest to return home, but that failed. After that, he got used to the facts that he was stuck here, and that he had become what he had spent the better part of his life trying to prove he wasn't : a demon. A long time passed since then, and he had learned to appreciate his longevity and the blessings that came with it. How else would one be able to spend fifty years learning how to play the violin? Lacking any talent at all, he remembered the time he spent practicing, it being more challenging than any training he had taken back home, for a simple reason... music was an art, and according to the words of his first teacher, a man who's name he had never learned, but who's gentle face would always remained etched in his memory '_Art comes from the heart and the soul. It expresses who we are, what we feel, what we believe. It cannot be forced, but instead it takes it's time to come out willingly. One does not learn to open his heart in a moment, to some it takes years of practice, to some decades. Others never learn. Once you do, enjoy it while it lasts, for music, like all things in life is fleeting.'_

And indeed, the old man had been right, even if he died a scant few days after telling him that. He might not have patience, but sheer determination and dedication was something he had in spades. He had decided he would become a good violinist, and he had. Naruto was by no means a master, he had accepted that much, and he likely never would be. No man could master every skill, regardless of effort. Talent, as much as he hated to say it, was still a perquisite in some cases.

He was glad he had packed the old violin he had used for the better part of two centuries. It's soothing sound always helped keep him calm during the bad times.

His quiet thoughts helped pass the time as he walked through the campus, occasionally drawing interested glances from the populace. After all, outsiders didn't come here often, and those who wore such a lost, longing expression on their faces attracted attention from others. He nearly collided with people several times, escaping collision narrowly each time with a smile and an apology.

Finally the first objective of his walk came into sight. Setting his tie properly, and making sure that he was presentable, he made a short knock on the door. And waited.

To his disappointment, apparently no one was home.

"Goody... I walk all the way here to find no one..." he muttered in annoyance. "Might as well catch up on my sleep"

He climbed the nearest tree, idly lying down in the branches and closing his eyes, sleep soon catching up with him. He hadn't slept a moment last night, and he needed some shut-eye.

_(16:00, Office of the Headmaster)_

Konoemon idly sighed as he paced around his chambers. As always, he had a number of concerns to consider. And among them, today's top two were Naruto and the class trip to Kyoto. He was more concerned how Naruto would fit in, especially with such figures as Mana, Setsuna and Evangeline, not to mention Negi and Asuna, who are likely to notice his... origin. He had no concern about his demonic status, as leader of the Black Legion, the word of Naruto Uzumaki was beyond any doubt, and with the Legion's sterling reputation, he made sure it remained that way. Which gave him an excellent idea how to handle his second problem.

"Shizuna-kun" he called, a content smile on his face as he got a bright idea "Can you please bring me the class rooster for classes 3-A, 3-D, 3-H, 3-J and 3-s? And some tea please?"

The woman merely smiled. She, as the staff guidance officer and also the head physician at the academy infirmary, enjoyed her work very much, but was also aware of the other factors that affected the life here, such as the works of various magic associations, and other groups. While not a mage, she was very much aware of magic, as it was something of a perquisite for her effective position of assistant to the headmaster.

"Do you have something in mind headmaster?" she asked, going towards the file cabinet that contained the papers he requested.

"Hohoho... an entertaining little idea" the old man responded. The classes had just ended, if the sound of the bell in the relative distance was any indication. He was curious though, how things would turn out during the next few days. He made a mental note to buy popcorn.

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The sound of the bells was perhaps the most welcome one she had heard all day. Accompanied by her servant/friend/robot Chachamaru, Evangeline made her way home. The presence hadn't moved an inch since then, and because she was now actively aware of it, tracking only became a mater of dedicating a small bit of her mental faculties to paying attention.

"Master? Are you concerned about this person?" Chachamaru asked in what to her passed as a worried tone.

"Do I look concerned to you?" she snapped at her. She was often grateful for the infinite patience the robot had, along with her genuine dedication. She was sure she'd have gone insane if it wasn't for Chachamaru these last few years.

"Sorry master." she apologized, while Evangeline merely huffed, walking towards her home with determination... but to those watching it seemed more like a sulking child than anything else.

To her infinite surprise and shock, she found her foe of many years... sleeping like a log, and snoring even! The sheer audacity and disrespect.... did he truly think so poorly of her abilities that he believed he could sleep while lying in wait for her?

"Chachamaru..." she snarled

"Yes master?"

"Wake him up... painfully" came the order, a rather sadistic smile on her face.

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Naruto was dreaming of better times when he felt a rather unpleasant amount of killing intent being aimed at him. Self-preservation instincts kicked in momentarily as he dodged a blow aimed at his gut... likely a friendly wake up call from someone he had angered at some point... which narrowed the list down to merely a couple of thousand names. He had momentarily failed to recognize the people around him, immediately dropping into a light combat stance when he realized just who was in front of him.

"Miss Evangeline?" he asked uncertainly, but when she nodded lightly, he calmed down, even if he was trying his best to contain his shock at the fact that THE Evangeline McDowell, the queen bitch of the vampire underworld for centuries, was in fact a little girl"Thank god, I was worried someone else wanted to kill me" he bluntly commented, bringing up a rather surprised face from the two girls

"Oh God, where are my manners? My name is Naruto Uzumaki. I will be serving as the Academy's Chief of Security from tomorrow, so I thought I'd pay a friendly visit" he stated in a polite tone, speaking in his perfect English, offering the woman a bow and kissing her knuckle when she offered her hand.

"Why don't you come in for tea sir? It has been a while since I had such... interesting company" she retorted in the same way.

"It would be a pleasure milady" he curtly answered.

To the side Chachamaru was... baffled, perhaps, by their exchange. She had never in her short life seen her master acting like a proper lady... but then again, no one treated her as such so far. She decided that she might like this Uzumaki person, if only a bit.

She led him into her home, regardless of the fact that a time ago she never would have done so, regardless of the fact that the seemingly young man before her was an _enemy_ more times than she cared to count. He had stroked her goddamn ego with his actions, but not for the way he acted, but for the sincerity of it. He didn't _act_ like she was a lady of stature, he merely acknowledged it as a fact, and she felt the need, probably for the first time in decades, to act the part. She quietly ordered Chachamaru to go and prepare the tea, as the two of them took a seat. She made a smile, very much unlike the ones she usually had, as it held no malice... nor the promise of endless pain to come.

"So how can I help you?" she politely asked.

Naruto only caught it for a second, the gleam in her eyes. This was by no means as peaceful a situation as it seemed.

"Is it so wrong to pay a visit to a person one respects as an opponent?" he quietly, but honestly said.

The comment took her completely off-guard. The honesty of the statement was blatantly obvious. He made no attempt to hide anything, and that was... she didn't have a word for it at the moment.

"I... understand your surprise and concern.." he started, but was cut off

"Cut the crap" she shortly and sharply spoke "What do you want?"

The face she was looking at changed, yet remained the same. It was almost as if it lost it's energy, the young look he maintained, and showed just a hint of it's true age, along with the cunning that hid behind the sapphire eyes. He sighed, mentally noting that he did it far too much these days

"I came to introduce myself and to make a peace offering. We've consistently stood on different sides during the centuries, and now that we are likely to cooperate at one point or another, I would prefer if there wasn't any bad blood between us. I acted the way I did mostly out of genuine respect. You were among the few of those who stood against me, managed to keep up with me and even outwitted me at times. Friend or foe, I respect that." he explained. "Besides, what kind of a man would skip the opportunity to meet _the_ Maga Nosferatu?" he added. He knew full well that regardless of the diminutive body, in front of him was a vampire, one that had many times proven his equal in skill and intellect. And for those reasons exactly did he so love crossing swords with her.

"Flattery will get you nowhere Uzumaki, but I appreciate it regardless" she responded after a few seconds, a content smile crossing her lips. "Tell me, do you know how to play go?" she asked, the smile quirking into a devious one.

_(Tomorrow morning, Academy security office)_

Naruto resisted the urge to groan and curse... no wonder the last head of security left the job.... the organization was disastrous at best at least according to his own military-grade standards. The security office was an underground block beneath the main square on the island, and it consisted of the surveillance center, guard barracks, the barrier control center and finally the armory. No matter how proper the equipment provided was, the men and women who worked there lacked proper protocol.

The entirety of the staff had gathered, a total of twenty five people. He had, made sure to take a careful look at the files Takehata had passed along last night, memorizing the details of every person under his command. He also reminded himself of the fact that there were a number of independent operatives along with a number of teachers who directly cooperated with the security office, making their job substantially easier. For a moment, he ignored the murmurs of the crowd before him, taking it to study them in detail. Content with what he perceived, he made a loud cough, and to hi only slight surprise, they quieted down. '_So they do have some professionalism. No wonder, you'd need it just to keep this __place aloft._'

"Good day to you all. As you have been informed, I am your new boss. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, also known as Spellbound of the Black Legion. While my position here is temporary, I will do my best to whip this place up into shape, my objective being that you can later on function perfectly even without the presence of a leader. If you have any questions, ask now, or come to the office later." he greeted them informally, hands stuck in his pockets as he spoke. He felt the need to dress in a suit at least for his first day of work, but he couldn't get himself to act the part. After waiting for a few seconds, and making sure that there were no questions, he smiled and pointed to the desk next to him.

"Your assignments for today have been prepared. Surveillance team, I want you to give me a detailed scan of all blind-spots in the grid along with the number of systems that need repair. Barrier maintenance, proceed to draft all the operating information on the systems, I'll be joining you personally later on. Watch team, begin your altered rounds and report any oddities. All reports are to be on my desk by tomorrow morning. Understood?" he ordered

"Yes sir!" came the immediate, and rather spirited response. He stood there silent, watching his new subordinates go about their business for a few moments before turning to his office. He had a job to do, and he would do it well.

He walked into the sterile office. He had sen the kind before, many times. Cold, with lots of metal and only artificial light. The desk in the room was made from molded plastic and metal, the dull white machine that was the computer standing with a desk lamp next to it.. A couple of file cabinets stood to the back. The whole place was expressionless, dull... dead.

"And I'm supposed to work _here_?" he muttered, eyebrow twitching. Perhaps the mess wasn't the reason the previous head of security quit. He'd go insane if he had to work in a place like this. The frozen state of body and mind lasted for a few seconds, before he frantically began digging through his pockets

_'Where did I put the phone of that interior designer for god's sake?'_

After calming down from his aesthetic shock, Naruto kept doing his work, going through the reports from the past week, helping out calibrate and improve the systems that kept the detection and protection barrier operating. He was impressed by the well-concealed subsystems that provided several additional layers of protection when needed, however, just as he noticed earlier, the designer didn't take into account the fact that the among the more powerful demons several tended to be able to change their size at will, even if the transformation process took time. In short, it opened ways to bypass normal barriers, even good ones. However, with a few alterations, and the impending rerouting of all the backup generators and surveillance systems would ensure the improved security of the entire island.

He smiled contently at the results so far. He group accepted him as leader instantly, and there were no issues so far. Not even questions... maybe it was because he introduced himself by his full name and title. These people were working security, having access to information was a perquisite. It wasn't easy work, and it took surprising amounts of pure physical labor, something that he had long since learned to appreciate. Sitting in the office never was his thing, and whatever he did, he preferred to be in the field and lead by example rather than stand back and give orders..

Even though he didn't like it, after the long day, the office chair seemed comfortable. He had already made plans as to what he intended to change in the room. Now if he could figure out someway to write the redecoration as operating expenses and get away with it.

Just as he sat down, a woman he recognized as Misao Enkei, his personal secretary (of all the parts of his job he liked that one), came in carrying a pile of reports.

"Sir, the first group of reports is finished. The patrol round are over and the teams are switching to the next route" she rapidly reported. Naruto took the moment to take another look at the woman, considering that he'd be working with her a bit more than with his other subordinates, it only made sense. She was nearing her thirties, and was an unusually tall woman for a Japanese, nearing a meter and ninety, with shoulder-length auburn hair. High cheekbones, smoky gray eyes covered by shaded glasses worn even underground, full lips. An attractive face, combined with a very attractive body, her height doing very little to distract from it. It wasn't only her physical appearance though... she had attitude, brains, and she had a spine... not to mention that she was probably one of the more dangerous characters in the security force. He had read her file... black belts in aikido and jujutsu, as well as some of the transfer details from her former job... which was conveniently blacked out, but left just enough to promise a lot of pain to those that cross her... Her clothes were simple, a dark gray skirt that reached just above her knees, and above it a similarly colored turtlenecked sweater. He also didn't fail to notice the nicely concealed pistol beneath the skirt, nor the bound throwing knives under the sleeves.

Come to think of it, the rest of the security staff had taken similar measures, and it seemed that apart from their lack of organization these were capable people, something that pleased him greatly. It would make his job considerably easier, and far more rewarding for all parties involved, except perhaps for the unfortunate bastards who end up as targets.

"Ah, thank you Misao-san" he responded to her call, offering a polite smile to the woman, who nodded and turned to leave "Just one moment please. And close the door" he added, eyes already moving oer the many lines of the first page he picked up.

"Yes?" she asked, voice growing increasingly... sharp. He didn't need to look at her to know what she was thinking about at the moment.

"Have a seat first. This might take a few minutes." he continued, still focused on the page he was reading. She kept her eyes on him as she sat down, crossing her legs as she did so. Naruto waited for a few moments before turning to her. He was still calm and seemingly relaxed, but the tension that was growing in the room was almost palpable.

"Tell me, were you briefed on my arrival?" he asked, voice cold, in stark contrast to the look on his face. Misao looked at him with a bit of surprise, almost as if asking him how he didn't know it

"Hai. A week ago the entire staff was presented with four potential candidates for the position. And before you ask sir, there were no papers handed out, though I could paraphrase most of it, if you'd like." she answered his inquiry. The tension dispersed quickly after that.

"Thank you Misao-san. That will be all" he spoke, the smile on his face never faltering.

He waited quietly before she left the room before sighing. He had actually let Konoemon pull a fast one on him.

He reminded himself of the phone call he had received a week ago with the job offer, of the reports about a number of groups beginning to mobilize throughout the two worlds, both magical and normal. Nothing would happen for a while yet, but he had good reason to doubt that things would remain peaceful for long.

He pulled a small scroll from his pocket, unrolling it and tapping lightly, causing an ancient looking violin to spring forth. It wasn't a Stradivari, rather, it was a plain instrument, simple, but lovingly crafted by a friend who lived in a small village in Switzerland over two centuries ago. He had learned to play on that violin, and had used it ever since..

He gently placed the violin to his neck, grasping it with his left hand while taking the bow with his right one... and played.

Some people drank to escape reality, others used drugs, sex, adrenaline... whatever got the job done. When he needed an escape, he played the violin, letting out a beautiful, but haunted tune. He would occasionally go deep into the wilderness, holding a concert to the wildlife as it were, and the animals would often gather to listen, captivated by the strange man and his song. It wasn't the fact that he was skilled that made it beautiful, it were the emotions that went into it.

He had one task still left to do today, but he wasn't looking forward to it. Konoemon had informed him that he had one additional duty, and that was writing a weekly report for him to read. Well, he hadn't solved any of the minor problems today. There was still the matter of the thief, though he planned to leave that one to the staff. He did however, fix all issues with the barrier. Thanks to proper monitoring software, no magic user or magical artifact would be able to enter the academy grounds undetected, and as finely tuned as I was, he had made sure it was impossible to track down any of the students, unless they breached certain secure areas, or unless the user had the proper authorization codes... and thanks to a few tricks that Keis taught him, the codes filled out the contents of a small flash drive, and were nearly hack-proof.

Smirking, he resealed the violin, certain that the others there had heard his playing. As he began writing the report, he wondered just what kind of rumors would his playing habits spawn.

_(21:00, Mahora island, Konoe family home)_

Konoemon took a look at the grandfather clock in the hall of his house. Unlike most of the previous headmasters here, he preferred to live here, with all the bustle the academy brought. Additionally, that way he could be close at hand should a crisis spring up. His granddaughter, Konoka, had chosen to live with her friends in the dorms, to she still came here from time to time.. The clock had just finished striking out nine times, and tea was nearly ready. Now all that remained was to read the reports he had received that day, and he had a special interest in one from his new chief of security.

Comfortably sitting himself down in his recliner, he took the several pieces of paper that constituted the report and began reading, occasionally letting out a chuckle. It would appear that he had made the right choice after all.

* * *

**Author's notes**: And there you have it... chapter 2 of the story. I hope you didn't find it too boring, but I needed to finish a number of things here, along with a bit of character portrayal. The next chapter will be a bit livelier than this, and will also contain the start of the Kyoto arc.

I have slowly began revealing some of Naruto's activities over the centuries of his life. Keep in mind that while powerful, he isn't god. He didn't spend every moment of his long life training, and for long periods of time, he went without using any of his power, either for the sake of challenging himself, or for the sake of whatever plot he was pursuing at the moment, to avoid drawing attention.

For reference, the barrier that surrounds Mahora (and coincidentally is tied in with the curse that keeps Evangeline's powers sealed ) is regulated via computers. I'm pretty sure it was almost stated so in the manga, as Chachamaru hacked into a system somewhere to sabotage it.

The organization Black Legion that was mentioned here is under Naruto's command. Though not all of it's members were mentioned, I'll add a hint here. Unlike groups such as Ala Rubra, the Black Legion is a mercenary organization, and keeps a lower profile. However, as Spellbound, Naruto has a reputation.

Well, that should be enough for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please review. Oh, and do ask questions if you find anything you don't understand (apart from the intentional mysteries, that I won't spill). I tend to complicate things at times...


	3. The Trip : Days Before Kyoto Part 1

**Author's Ramblings: **Well, here's another chapter of the story. The first part goes about Naruto, and is the slightly darker part of the story, more going in line with his thoughts and his plans. The second part will be more about Negi, and his interactions with the rest 3-A, and will likely continue into the next chapter. Though I've made no contact between the two of them so far, they will finally meet during the next chapter, and further details will go during said chapter.

Before you start reading though, here's one possible mistake. Right now I can't seem to remember whether in Chinese, in the name Ku Fei, is Ku or Fei the first name? I think it's Ku, so I addressed her as such. However, if I'm mistaken (and my apologies to any Chinese readers out there for that), please tell me. I'd prefer not to make such a stupid (on my account) mistake in the future.

To note, you'll find various hints throughout the story as to Naruto's many positions throughout history, as he didn't just sit on his buttocks, train and eat ramen for the better part of his life here. Cookies for those who figure out when, where and in some cases, who he was :P

Ah, one more thing... I'm not exactly sure of the times shops work (are open) in Japan. Forgive me the creative liberties on that account, as I'm actually basing them on local opening and closing times (09:00-19:00 being something normal for example)

Well, now that that's out of the way, enjoy the chapter

* * *

_Chapter 3 : The Trip : Days Before Kyoto_

Naruto nearly screamed as he woke up, the burning feeling on his back driving him to insanity. Beneath the clothes he wore daily were a number of bandages that concealed the entirety of his right shoulder, and a good deal of his back. He knew there weren't any wounds there... apart from _her_ brand.

He bit his lip, stifling the last part of the scream he held in as he looked at the clock. It was 3 AM, as the digital clock clearly showed in the darkness. It was no use trying to fall asleep again, the surge of sharp pain ensured that. He leaped off the bed, a flare of pain reminding him that he should have been slower about it, and walked towards the bathroom. He took a look at his own face in the mirror, the lack of sleep showing only slightly, well obscured by the signs of annoyance on his face. He had gotten used to these phases after the fifth year.

Sighing once again, he began unraveling the bandages that kept the brand concealed. The bandages were there more to hide the brand than to protect his flesh from further damage, as he certainly didn't care to explain just why he had such a symbol carved into his back.

Before he entered the shower, Naruto did something that he hadn't done in a few years already, he used his chakra. Unlike the Ki the locals used, chakra was a different, if more adaptable energy. Gently channeling it along the surface of his body, his skin was suddenly covered with markings, the vast majority of his back and chest, his arms, his legs, even parts of his face... the entirety of an exceptionally powerful suppression array, meant to keep his own energies from running rampant around. It was not that he could not control them, but the fact that they would draw far too much attention to him. The last time he had let his powers loose was during the great war in the magic world, and it would take something as bad to force him to do so again

He found that he really wasn't in the mood to think about it, so he shortly reinforced the seals before shedding his boxers and entering the bath. He'd have to make contact with the rest of his group in a day or two... he had a feeling something was going to come up soon.

As much as he wanted it, a warm bath wasn't an option as it would only aggravate the pain. Silently cursing, and preparing himself for the unpleasant sensation of a frigid shower early in the morning, he turned the tap open, enduring the first few waves of cold water before his body acclimated itself to the low temperature. After he got used to it, he visibly relaxed, the tension quickly fleeing his body. He smiled ever so lightly, realizing how soft he had gone over the recent years, and promising himself a month long training session somewhere very, very cold.

By the time he had sufficiently cleaned up, the seals had already faded from vision, returning his usual,scarred look.

"Hm... what to do? It's still not even four.. do I go for a run? Or do I go mess with my subordinates? Decisions,decisions" he contently whispered to no one in particular as he walked over to the chest which contained his clothes, grinning like an evil scientist bent on world domination.

_(04:30, Mahora Island Security Center)_

Misao silently stared at the pile or reports she was supposed to sort out before morning, wishing that her glare could set them ablaze. She had volunteered to pull a double shift, since the guy she was supposed to go out that night had urgent business to attend to, most likely screwing another woman, knowing him. '_Why do men have to be such swines?' _she asked herself as she rechecked another piece of paper, this one an operational report on the eastern sector surveillance, and the few openings in it's grid. She grabbed her coffee mug, remaining unblinking when the handle broke off in her hand, the rest of the mug dropping and spilling over the paperwork in front of her. There were times when Misao Enkei truly, deeply hated the world.

"Trouble?" came a sympathetic voice from the door of the office. She jerked her head up to notice a friendly smile on the face of her boss. Great, now she just made a fool of herself in front of her new boss.

Naruto quietly walked over, picking up the soaked papers, trying to salvage what could be salvaged. He momentarily thought whether he should abuse his magical powers on such a simple thing, but after one look at his secretary's face, he decided she needed a little cheering up. So, without any further ado, he channeled just a bit of magic, separating the warm coffee from the papers and desk beneath them, turning the liquid into a small sphere which he moved over to another empty mug.

"What a rotten night" he added, dropping down into the nearest free chair. "Need any help on that?" he offered.

"No sir, I'll be just fine. Thanks for the cleanup though" Misao returned, once more focused on getting her job done.

"You're welcome" Naruto added quietly, walking over to the coffee machine to pour himself one."I'm guessing your night wasn't much better than mine" he added, slightly saddened when he heard the slight disruption in her writing as a result of his comment. Sighing yet again, he decided to once more do something kind, but relatively stupid. Drawing the chair to the opposite side of the desk, he took one half of the stack, pulling out a pencils and sat down to work. She glanced up at him, surprise evident on her face

"Not that I mind sir, but why are you...?" she started, trailing off at the end.

"Not much better to do, so I might as well make myself useful..." he answered "Besides, you look like you could use some rest. Take a brake, go breathe some fresh air or something. Spending a double shift at the office without leaving all day is bad for your health" he added in a concerned voice. At this point she looked at him in a way that was a mixture of surprise, shock and gratitude, the pencil slipping from her hand. He didn't even lift his head from the report he was reading, now completely immersed in his work, lips moving ever so slightly, denoting some of his thoughts

She realized something at that moment... even with all the information she had about him, she knew _nothing_ about Naruto Uzumaki. Right now, sitting here and reading the reports, he seemed like a harmless office worker, even with the slightly unusual clothes he wore. And yet he was 'Spellbound', a living legend, a demon out of the dark shadows of history. He had actually worried for her, though she reasoned that it shouldn't surprise her as much... ever since his existence became public knowledge among the residents of the magical world during the great war some twenty years ago, he had an excellent reputation as a great leader, one that took good care of all of his subordinates.

Making little more than a grateful smile, she finished the report she was working on, took her coat and walked outside, vaguely aware of the smile on his face.

Naruto found himself oddly content to do the work alone. He never was the kind to push those who worked under him to exhaustion needlessly, and this he considered needless. The poor woman had been working for eight hours straight, and not even he had the mental stamina to endure as much paperwork.

To his even greater surprise, he found the work, even this part, rather enjoyable. It reminded him of a time long past, when he organized the defenses of a border fort during war. The same meticulous attention to detail, the same vague idea of the size and composition of enemy forces, the same limited resources available. The only true difference was in the time he was likely to spend here, as said fort got razed to the ground by Burgundian forces nearly a week after he was assigned there. Not one of his brightest moments, but then again, his resources were far more limited then...

Shaking himself from his reverie, he returned to his work. There was only about thirty reports left anyway... it would be done before dawn, and then he'd go and make his rounds through campus. Maybe share breakfast with the rest of the group before that...

_(08:30, Mahora cafeteria)_

Saturday morning... most students at the academy abused this time to get more sleep, however those that didn't would have noticed a rather unusual sight. Nestled in one of the corners of the ground floor was a small group of four, consisting of the newly instated chief of security and four others. Now, that in itself was hardly all that interesting, _but_ a number of rumors had began circling since yesterday, so those students present and informed in the rumors were busy watching the young man talking to the others, while others informed absent students. Among the most interested was Kazumi Asakura, a student/reporter better known among her friends as a paparazzi. Of course, to her, a person who managed to spawn oh so many rumors in just one day was more attractive than flame to a moth. However, she had no pretense to even come near him, as his group had chosen a booth in the corner, and he had placed himself at a completely unapproachable place, so she had to make herself content with sitting in the booth next to them.

"So Boss, what about those crazy rumors floating about?" one of the three men at the table asked their obvious leader.

"Are you talking about those you spread around Carver?" Naruto responded with a slight smirk on his face "Don't think I hadn't figured it out..."

"Damn..." Carver shortly muttered,

"You're screwed" one of the two women teased Carver

"Mind your manners Kimari" Misao shortly ordered, likely the only one among them that acted professionally.

"Seriously, there are students around us... you don't want to make a bad example do you?" Naruto teased in turn. "But to answer your question Carver, I couldn't care less. If anyone has questions, my doors are open"

Asakura stopped listening at this point. She realized that his words weren't aimed at the man he addressed to Carver, whom she recognized as one of the security personnel at the academy. No, they were addressed to her. So, maybe some of the rumors were correct after all. For now at least, she had a subject of interest to report about. She made a long list of mental notes where to direct her research for the time being.

Naruto left his mind on autopilot as he considered the girl that was snooping on him, wondering if she got the hint. Seeing as she was acting as a reporter, he expected at least that from her. He had wondered whether he should help the rumors spread or cut them down, but decided on the first one, as he expected it would be a lot more fun. Still, he knew better than to take such matters too lightly. She would serve as an excellent ally here, if she agreed., as he needed a stable source of information, and she was perhaps the best... apart from one other he had yet to meet. Ever since it was founded, Mahora Academy was one of the few true blind spots on his chessboard, one that he could not afford with all the important pieces there.

His instincts were screaming at him that something was going to happen soon. _She_ had remained strangely silent for a while now, even as her brand burned his body yet again. Unless his body received an infusion of magic soon, he would _die, _and there was nothing he could do about it. For almost a thousand years, he had refused to feast on the souls, and he wold rather die than fall so low. It had likely stunted his growth as a demon, but as a _human_ it granted him a strength of will that could be matched by very few. He reminded himself once more to check on Keis and whether she had managed to procure what he needed. He certainly wasn't looking forward to the alternative. That ritual hurt like a bitch and would leave him bedridden for a week.

And now, he no longer had that luxury. He had asked himself several times just why was Mahora so well protected, why were such resources put into building the defenses that held any enemy outside, why a seemingly flimsy security detail actually consisted of elite ex-soldiers, bodyguards and security experts. He had realized it while he was reading the reports that morning, the attention to seemingly insignificant details, that were actually critical openings in the security grid. No amateur would have noticed them, as only those who used such openings themselves knew how to look for them. He also wondered whether the previous chief held a far laxer policy, was far more limited in his skills, or if there was a simple lack of need or finances. There was a last, far more disconcerting option... that they simply had no awareness of the growing threat, not only throughout the magical world, but within the old world as well.

He sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that day. He truly longed for the simplicity of his early days here, before his life irrevocably turned complicated.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Misao quietly asked as Kimari and Carver kept flirting

"Oh, nothing... merely considering the intricacies of life" he responded, a tired look coming to his eyes. He was tired, but not in a way that a good night's sleep would cure. He was feeling ever so slightly lethargic. A sudden smile came to his lips as an idea came to his mind. He knew just what would chase the rotten feelings away: a good spar.

"Hey, Misao-san? Would you by any chance be up for a spar?" he asked. His face never turned, focused on the plate of food in front of him. If he had turned, he would have noticed her quirking an eyebrow in interest.

"A... spar?" she asked back.

"Yeah, you know, the usual deal, martial arts only... or if you prefer we could do it the old-fashioned way, without any rules" he retorted, studding his face with the last bits of food left.

"Maybe some other time... though I might know someone who'd likely enjoy it. Does around twelve suit you?" she answered him, receiving a nod from him "Good, be at the open field in the eastern park" she added, slowly getting up from the table.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get some sleep before my next shift" she added, leaving the three of them at the table.

_'Noon, huh? I wonder just what she has in store...'_ Naruto quietly mused as he sipped his coffee, trying his best to ignore the two others near him

_(11:45, A field near the eastern edge of Mahora's island )_

He couldn't say he wasn't impressed. The open, slightly slanted filed was isolated from the rest of the island by a forest wall, looking to the open sea. Wild grass swayed in the light breeze, forming waves that moved from the sea to the land. The mild fragrance of wild flowers mixed with the crisp ocean air flowed to his nostrils, a sensation he hadn't had the pleasure to enjoy in a long time. In the relative distance, he could see the ruins of a bell tower, barely standing against the backdrop of high trees.

He wondered idly just who would be coming to meet him here, who would his dear secretary send over. He had to admit he had taken a liking to the woman, not in any romantic sense, but as someone who had a number of qualities he appreciated.

Ten minutes left. He crouched, a hand extending to rip a few blades of grass, bringing it up to his face. He let it fall on the wind, content with his new found knowledge of it's speed and strength. He could feel it on his own skin, but he found a strange satisfaction in the simple act. Silently standing up, he began warming up by going through a few of the katas of the fighting style he had used for as long as he could remember. Hands and feet moved fluidly, one attack flowed into another, forming a never-ending barrage against an imagined foe. Most mental functions had shut down, leaving a blank slate that simple moved with the flow of the world around him. Had he paid any attention, he would have felt the trickle of ambient energies entering his own body, the moves quickening, strikes now forming minor shockwaves through the air around him. And as suddenly as he began, he stopped, with what seemed to be a finishing move. He offered a bow to the invisible foe he had been fighting, and to the nature around him. Even while he was human, he knew better than to mock the world around him...for mother nature was a fierce foe once roused, one he knew better than to challenge.

Nagase Kaede was curious, she had to admit that much. She had met Misao Enkei the year she joined the academy, and she had proven to be a wonderful sparing partner over the two and a half years she had been here. Now, she had asked her to spar someone in particular, her new boss. Now, Kaede was generally laid back, but even she was slightly nervous at her statement of _'And if you know what's good for you, you won't hold back one bit._'. That worried her, even if only a bit. Along with her, her friend Ku Fei asked to come, and the two of them made their way to the clearing where she was supposed to meet him. The sounds of the forest were drowned in the rustling of the leaves, the waving branches concealing the graying skies above. It would likely rain again soon, unless the wind blew the clouds away.

"Kaede-san, do you hear it?" he thoughts were broken by her friend's voice. And she did... the sound of slight explosions in the distance.

"Uhm. What do you think it is?" she asked back as the two of them reached the clearing, and saw Naruto finishing his kata practice, bowing, as customary to so many martial arts. He moved back to his original position, turning to them and waving in greeting.

He was surprised as well... he recognized the two by their faces. Kaede Nagase and Ku Fei from class 3-A. One an apparent _ninja (_he had unconsciously smiled there_), _the other a highly talented martial artist. Now he knew for certain that he had to arrange a raise for his secretary... he hadn't had a good spar in a while now, and these two were promising. He faced them as they walked closer, carefully studying.

"Hello there" he greeted in a polite tone "I assume miss Enkei asked you to come?" he quietly asked.

"That she did" Kaede answered shortly, nodding in the process.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki, the new chief of security here at Mahora" he introduced himself, offering a polite bow to the two, which they quickly returned.

"Ku Fei, student" the Chinese girl stated.

"Kaede Nagase, likewise" the other one added.

"So, which one of you wishes to go first? Or would you prefer to spar against me together?" Naruto asked, a hint of his enthusiasm slipping through. Even with the warning she had received, Kaede couldn't help but think that this man, barely several years older, underestimated them greatly.

"Two on one!" Ku Fei enthusiastically shouted, pumping her fist in the air, and Naruto couldn't help but chuckle.

"Do you agree then Nagase-san?" Naruto continued.

"Please, call me Kaede. And why not?" she commented. Naruto nodded shortly, taking a few steps back.

"Alright Kaede, Ku. The rules are simple, anything goes except killing your opponent. If you have any tools, weapons or anything else you'd like to use, go ahead. And don't hold back" he explained, dropping into a low, nearly crouching stance, one hand over his back, the other resting on the ground. "Whenever you're ready..."

The two girls nodded, and Naruto soon found himself the target of what he felt was a probe. Neither Kaede nor Ku showed the decisive intent to kill which was common to the warriors he was used to fighting. Kaede's first attack was a kick that went straight for his chest area, while Ku went for an overhead attack, planning to slam her fist into his spine

He quickly slid through one of the openings their attack left, briefly grabbing Ku's leg, slamming the Chinese girl from mid-air into her partner. He immediately twisted away to avoid yet another strike, landing a few feet away from them

"I remember telling you not to hold back, hmm?" Naruto mocked from a (relatively) safe distance. There was no ill intent in his voice as he spoke, more of a stern warning. "Well, you've had your chance... now, it's my turn" he stated, dropping back into his stance, and leaped forward, charging straight into the ninja. The left arm, the one that had been moving close to the ground rose up, landing a straight hit from his wrist to her chin and sending her to the air. He immediately turned, using the hand that was previously over his back as a pivot, to land a strong kick to to Ku's solar plexus, knocking her away.

He got up, standing outside his usual stances.

"Is that all you've got? I'm disappointed if that's it" Naruto stated, his voice mirroring his words, trying his best to force them to draw on all of their skills. He smirked as they once more got off the ground, bruised, but determined to beat the daylights out of him. Good.

"You said we could use anything, right?" Kaede asked rhetorically, while Naruto decided to nod in turn regardless. He was slightly unnerved when the girl pulled out a massive, four blade shuriken, it's height rivaling her own. Naruto didn't even want to begin to consider just where she had been keeping it. He had already begun taking notes on the way she fought, on the skills she possessed, every little trick. He had done the same with Ku Fei, analyzing her every move. It was instinct to him, one he had developed over so many years of war and strife, but one that protected both him, and those dear to him. Analyze your opponent's moves, devise a counter, defeat them.

As the blades of the oversized shuriken spun towards him, he felt as if time had slowed down, noticing Kaede appearing in several places at once, all around him, prepared to use the opening his evasion would produce. He smiled as he realized that Ku Fei had moved almost faster than he could follow, ready to use the opening after that one. They worked well together, he realized, and what was more, he was _enjoying_ himself.

The blow came towards him, just as he expected it, but he decided to start using his own skills. As any practitioner of magic could tell you, there were a number of esoteric arts one could learn. Naruto's personal favorite, one taught to him by his own student, were the so-called Fracture Points.

He felt the channels in his left hand, the ones that guided his chakra constrict, the slight opening, even if only spiritual, tightening to a minute hole. And then he moved his hand, all five fingers landing straight on the oncoming shuriken.

To the shock of his opponents, the blade shattered into pieces, two of them flying right next to his face and cutting him slightly. Fracture points were an art that had it's root in the belief that there was nothing perfect in the universe... therefore everything had a weak point that could be exploited. Create a strike strong and accurate enough, and strike at it, and the object would break. He smirked to their shocked faces, but realized that not even the surprise slowed them down. He could count five instances of Kaede's body, and Ku coming closer from behind him.

He didn't have the time to be fascinated by their strategies, as the first attack came. He had expected it, but was still slightly surprised when a short blade nearly stabbed him in the arm. A split-second later, another nearly decapitated him. He didn't even have the time to notice what the blades were, only that they were coming at great speed. Not that his conscious minded actually noted anything, as his body dodged on pure muscle memory and instinctual recognition of danger. Again, his body twisted, dodging another projectile, but this one came from Ku behind him. He was slightly shocked to realize that the thing his body recognized as a projectile was actually her foot, moving at great speed.

Ku Fei found that their opponent was nowhere near as weak as they had expected. Sure, he was the boss of Enkei Misao, but she didn't expect him to be this fast, or this skilled. She almost expected it to happen, but it still surprised her when he seemingly effortlessly twisted his body... and she flew straight into a Kaede, completely eliminating one of her clones. The adrenaline rush from the feel of danger was addicting, she could feel her blood rushing through her veins, most of her active mind shutting down to process the information her senses were sending it. There was only the fight, nothing more. To her young mind it was a unique experience, something she had never felt before, regardless of the situation. There was no past, no future, only the endless flow of attacks and counterattacks, blocking and dodging, trying to stay one step ahead of the opponent while cooperating with her partner. She found that she loved every bit of it.

Kaede had similar thoughts as her friend. Naruto Uzumaki was an impressive enemy, one she wouldn't mind sparring with every day. Her blade, a simple, but very efficient combat knife she had received upon graduating from her apprenticeship, served her well in combat, though even now she couldn't land a single deciding blow on her wily foe. She still couldn't believe that he shattered\ her shuriken with just one blow... she had seen techniques such as that, but only from the revered masters among her clan. He seemed to use minimal skill for offense, rather focusing on his defenses and waiting for every opening that the two of them offered.

She nearly winced as Ku landed a shattering blow to one of her clones, the one that had last attacked Naruto. The poor thing dispersed, and she was glad she had invested only so much in it...that blow, had it hit her would not have been pleasant. She continued her attack on Naruto, hoping to make an opening either she or Ku could use. She slashed at every point that would at least slightly hamper him, aiming for tendons, joints and veins, trying to by them some time. But after the first few blows, he seemed to have adapted to the way she attacked, now effortlessly parrying her hands with his own, or simply dodging the blows altogether. The same happened to Ku's attacks, the kicks and punches ended up either missing outright, or landing on one of the clones. She noted that he not once aimed at her... she would consider it luck, but she knew better. He had merely showed her that he _knew_.

And then it came... faster than either of them could react, the sound of a cellphone ringing, and with it, two lightning fast blows, one to her solar plexus, far stronger than any other so far, literally sending her flying breathlessly, while the other hit Ku Fei in the gut, doing pretty much the same. She couldn't hear him speaking as she flew the whole two meters, but she could read his lips, and the wide, content smile she saw on them. She could also tell one more very disconcerting fact. Those last two attacks had used Ki to amplify their speed.

"Oh, hey Keis. How are ya?" he cheerfully asked over the phone, his right hand going to his pocket for a bubblegum as his left one held the phone to his ear. "Me? I'm having fun right now. If you were here I'd kiss you for pressuring me to take the job. Anyway, you likely wanted to speak about something serious, no?" he stayed silent for a few seconds "You have it?Richter, Mariah and Lee are coming over? Great... that ought to be fun... well, take care... oh, and did you enjoy the data I sent? Glad to hear it... gotta run, bye!" he cheerfully finished, sliding the phone back into his pocket, only then realizing that the two girls were staring at him with a mixture of awe, respect and confusion.

"Guess I have some explaining to do, huh?" he dumbly noted, making a sheepish smile as he did so. He had no idea just how much trouble did he stir up with those two hits.

* * *

_(13:30, Mahora Train Station)_

Negi was nervous all morning. Fortunately for him, unlike Naruto he had far smaller, but to him, still important concerns. Such as Asuna's birthday tomorrow, on the 21st of April. He and Konoka, as her two roommates had gone out, preparing to buy her a gift. Both of them had dressed casually, Negi avoiding his signature suit, while Konoka merely dressed normally. They chattered as they boarded the train, considering what to buy, and where to have some fun along the way.

"Didn't you know? There's some pretty good ice-cream downtown. There's this place I often go to. We could go there" Konoka happily commented, while Negi smiled and nodded.

"We should really buy her something now. I doubt there will be time during the week" he commented

"Uhm" the girl agreed as they boarded the train.

Now, to any outsider, this would (and, unfortunately for the two of them, did) seem like a date, and as we all know, liaisons between students and teachers were only somewhat prohibited...

Shina Sakurako, Kakizaki Misa and Kugimiya Madoka, the 3-A cheerleader team were in town, buying clothes and other stuff for the upcoming trip. Madoka, the 'serious' member of the group, was doing her best to keep her two friends focused on the task at hand, that is, buying clothes and such, rather than using the time to have fun around. That could wait for when they had bought everything.

Still, they had fun. Dropping by shops, eating good food and sweets. It was an enjoyable break from the daily chaos that was school. All went well, that is, until they noticed one rather unusual sight.

"Kakizaki, what's wrong?" Madoka asked in a worried tone when she noticed her friend coming to a grinding halt.

"Look" she said, eyes looked at the sight of Negi Springfield and Konoka Konoe walking together, chatting and laughing. They couldn't hear the words being spoken to the noise of the crowd around them, but they seemed to be having fun.

"H-hey, isn't that Negi-kun and Konoka?" Misa asked her friends as they observed the two from a safe distance.

"They are... What are they doing here?" Sakurako asked, as they followed Negi and Konoka through their shopping, watching as they went through various shops, Konoka occasionally picking out something to wear, and Negi usually complimenting her choice.

_'Are they on... a date?' _the three of them thought simultaneously from their cover behind a bush.

"Impossible! Negi-kun is a ten-year old! Maybe they're just shopping like siblings." Madoka stated.

"Would they have come all the way here for that? There were closer shopping areas." Misa commented as the three of them remained crouched behind the bush.

"But if they're on a date... then Negi-sensei could get fired for hitting on his students!" Sakurako added her opinion, bringing out a scared look on the faces of her two friends. And they actually liked the guy!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Asuna was enjoying herself, lazing about in bed as she read a bunch of magazines, sipping a bottle of juice as she did so. It had been awhile since she had a day off, and she intended to enjoy it to it's fullest. She had already prepared everything she needed for the class trip, so she had no concerns on that account. She was slightly miffed though, that Konoka had made no mention of her birthday tomorrow, but she didn't really mind. She wasn't even sure it was really her birthday, but she had accepted the day as such. She had no expectations that Negi of all people, being as dense as he could at times would know about it. Seriously, the brat was a handful so often, and yet she just couldn't stay angry at him for long, regardless of her effort to do so. He was honest, hardworking, dedicated... and he'd been doing a job that she would find ridiculously hard for several months now. And then she remembered the mess Negi's life had been. The attack on the village he lived in for so long, the trouble that seemed to follow him due to his name and ancestry, and of course the constant chaos he tended to trigger wherever he went. If she didn't know he really was a gentleman, and a completely unperverted ten year old kid, she would have called him a pervert for all the 'accidents' that tended to happen around him...

She returned to her magazines and relaxation. Today was the day for relaxing dammit, not worrying about things. Cue the sound of a phone ringing.

Growling under her breath, she picked up the cellphone, surprised to see the number of her classmate Kakizaki come up.

"Yeah? What is it Kakizaki" she answered the phone "I finally got a day off, and now I can't even.."

"_Stop complaining and lazing about. So what if it's a holiday... something terrible has happened!_" came the girl's voice over the phone _"Look!"_

The voice was interrupted by a signal from the phone, indicating picture mail. Asuna looked at it and saw... Negi apparently complimenting Konoka on her choice of shirts. _'How terrible'_

"So?" she shortly stated, trying her best to reign in her already growing anger

"_So!? They're on a secret date! You know what that means?_"

"_Asuna, you surely know something?"_

"_You live with them after all! She's going to take Negi-kun from you"_

Asuna decided to do the single thing that made sense at the moment and cut the line.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Right, another chapter done. This was a strange one to write... first I couldn't put together more than a page, then I write six within two hours. Weird. Anyway, point for those who picked up the hints I've been dropping throughout the story so far.

As for Naruto being a demon... well, I think I passed out enough hints for this chapter :D

Also, a few explanations about Naruto's skills. He's old... really, freaky old. Around a thousand and something years old. He knows stuff. Period. But he's still not a god. Remember, this is before the two of them started using Ki or magic, so they're not yet up to full strength.

The Fracture Points mentioned are an idea mentioned at more than a few places, so I can't exactly remember where I got that from.

Well, I think that's about it. If you think you've figured something out,feel free to post it as a review or something. I don't mind :P

Read 'n' review folks! Us authors draw sustenance and inspiration from such things!


	4. The Trip : Days Before Kyoto Part 2

**Author's Rambling:** Afew details about this first. This chapter is slightly longer than usual, but that might or might not become normal. Who knows, I go as my muse dictates, so...

It will have the introductions of a few more characters from the Black Legion. And while their presence will seem random, it isn't. I've brought them out for a reason. Also, to those who think that the scene with Asuna's birthday is the same as in the manga, well... do check. As always, it's with a reason.

Now that that's out of the way... this chapter will be the last part before the trip to Kyoto. Along with that, there will be a few more details, some revelations, and the next chapter will be the first part where there will be real fights. Oh, and do expect a Naruto vs Fate fight soon.

I think that's about it for this chapter. At least as far as my comments are concerned. Enjoy.

* * *

_Chapter 4 : The Trip : Days Before Kyoto Part 2_

'_How could things get so damn complicated?' _Asuna asked herself repeatedly as she and her close... she'd say friend, but ti was a lot more complicated than that... Ayaka Yukihiro were riding the train, hurrying to stop a mess occurring between her roommate and friend Konoka and Negi. How the hell did those two get so close without her noticing it? Better yet, why was she so upset about it? True, Konoka was close to her, but didn't she constantly claim not to like the brat? The thought from earlier repeated itself over and over again in her head. Why did she care so much?

"Are you okay Asuna?" Ayaka asked her in an unusually concerned tone. She smiled and shook her head. They weren't on the best terms most of the time, always arguing, insulting each other, even fighting... but as much as neither of them would admit, they were friends.

"Nah... I"m just fine, let's take care of those two..." she answered quietly.

Ayaka suppressed a giggle at her friend's reaction. Asuna was never all that good at hiding her emotions. Even if she had romantic feelings for Negi, she knew that Asuna felt something for him as well... even with her crush on Takehata-sensei. Why did that girl have to be so complicated? Negi was so kind, so cute, so serious and all grown-up at times.... she realized that they almost missed their stop while she was off in dream land. _'Ugh, I really do act like an idiot at times' _she thought, eyes twitching in annoyance as she walked behind Asuna.

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There were a number of images people associated with the name Richter Rosenheim. The famous exterior decorator, reputed to only work at night. Among professional fishermen, he was a living legend, the man who actually caught a shark with a metal rood and first-class steel string, using a steak of all things as bait. Among the ladies, he would be defined as 'tall, dark and handsome'. At two meters of height, built like a mountain (and about as tough), his mere physical presence towered over lesser men. Dressed in blackish jeans and a dark blue silk shirt covered by a black jacket, obvious steel-toed boots beneath them, the man who seemed in his early twenties had long, naturally white hair and pale skin from his albinism and dark shades to cover his red eyes. A more attractive feature than his clothes, was perhaps the amulet he wore around his neck, a cross made out of dark, murky sapphire encased in silver. The one fact that couldn't be argued over, was that the presence that was the _vampire_ Richter was something no mortal or immortal would fail to notice.

And the strangest thing of all... was the wide smile on the man's face.

Richter had absolutely no idea why he had chosen this small area for the first of his seven days in the light, though it could have been for the number of people that were outside. He missed the human contact, the combined warmth of the sun and the presence of so many living beings around him.  
"Richter!" droned the voice of his youngest companion, breaking him from his trip down memory lane.  
"Yes Mariah?" he answered, turning down to the shorter girl.  
"Carry me?" she asked sweetly. Richter could only laugh as he knelt down to let her ride on his shoulders. There were few things he could deny her.  
At 25, Mariah Melendorf still looked 18 at most, and tended to act that age as well. Her mixed heritage that made her only half human also had it's fair share of advantages as well. Her light chocolate skin, and long, naturally red hair were only complimented by her high cheekbones and dark almond eyes. Her exotic and attractive appearance tended to distract from the fact that her body was well developed, with wiry muscles, thick enough while still being attractive, and strong enough to be able to brake bones if needed. She was dressed simply, standard blue jeans cut off just above her knees, along with a tight black shirt and red vest over it, a pair of fingerless gloves poking out of her back pocket. As a legend among the parkour community, she had a level of infamy, and unlike the vast majority of mages and related martial artists... she had no need for magic or ki to move about incredibly. After all, why would she need the magic to do so if she could effortlessly leap over Richter on her own strength?

"Kids these days..." came the joking voice of the third and final member of the group

"Keep yapping Lee, and I'll make sure you end up in that crappy retreat for old people" Mariah immediately snapped back at the 'elderly' Lee, bringing up a chuckle from Richter.

A recurring trend, apparently, Lee Fen Dao was quite old as well. Nearing his hundredth birthday (91 currently), yet appearing to be in his late thirties, this Chinese man stood at an unimpressive (compared to Richter) one meter seventy, with a long, graying ponytail extending downward from his otherwise shortly trimmed hair. His pitch-black eyes danced around with a warmth one would not expect from them. His clothes were elegant, but simple, a wide-sleeved azure robe with a high collar, decorated with strange wave patterns that seemed to flow in the early afternoon sun. Unlike the previous two, few would recognize Lee, apart from those in select circles. While not really a martial artist, he had perfect knowledge of human anatomy as a master of traditional Chinese medicine, as well as the ki that went with it, and was capable of destroying enemies with little more than a few well-placed pokes.

Lee smiled enigmatically as he reminded himself of the two remaining women back at the office. He could only hope that Skadi and Keis didn't get into _another_ of their fights... otherwise the whole district would get turned into ruins. Personally, he didn't mind the jibes that Mariah constantly sent him... after all, even with all the fire she put into it, he knew she pretended. Why? She was the only one apart from the commander who always remembered his birthday. When he had messed up a healing poultice and ended up poisoning himself, she looked after him. Behind that steel skin lay a heart of gold, and he, like many others in the Legion always saw the girl as a daughter for the twenty years she spent with them. He knew well that the commander would bring about hell should anyone hurt her... that is if the poor fool wasn't eviscerated by the others first.

"Keep threatening little girl. You and I both know that I can still kick your ass any day of the week. And I can always call on that favor Keis owes me.... I wonder how you would like having your bank accounts frozen?" he retorted, ignoring the annoyed huff the girl let out as he and Richter laughed. Internally though, both cringed, knowing full well that she had one on them. After all, they were going _shopping._

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A curious look made it's place on Negi's face as he and Konoka entered an old pawnshop. From what little he knew, he was aware that such places at times had strange things to sell, but also, it meant that unusual objects came to their shelves. And it wasn't like they had many options held, due to many strange occurrences as they tried to shop. Seriously, how often did it happen that a couple ran around just buying the stuff they wanted before them? Or any of the other weird things that happened...

"You think we might find something interesting here Negi-kun?" Konoka asked curiously.

"Yeah. These places tend to have unusual things up for sale." Negi responded. At this point he was slightly annoyed that he had to leave his ermine friend Chamo back at the academy with Asuna. His experience would have been useful here.

The two of them walked in, utterly unaware of the trio following them. The owner of the shop, a near skeletal old woman eyed them curiously  
"Welcome honored customers" she greeted in a kindly old voice... one that strangely accentuated the fact that the woman was a master merchant. "What can my humble shop interest you in?"  
"Hello" Konoka shortly offered, making a slight bow before the woman, and Negi did the same "We are looking for a gift for our friend's birthday"she continued.  
"But we really didn't have any more ideas, as we doubted she would like any of the things we came across" Negi added, a slightly sad look to his face.

The matron of the shop looked at them curiously, her mind wondering what they would chose for their female friend. Many onlookers would have confused these two for a couple, and if her old eyes were serving her well, three girls apparently did. Well, not really her problem, unless they caused a mess.

Meanwhile, Negi and Konoka looked around the shop, trying to find something of interest. In one of the darker corners, Konoka came across something that looked promising, a small music box. It was made out of rosewood, the finely lacquered grain reflecting the last bits of light that shone into the shop. She couldn't tell why, but something drew her to it, and she gently opened the lid. She smiled as she recognized the melody, it was a tune that she knew Asuna loved very much. Negi was right, there were a lot of interesting things in these small pawnshops. Content, she turned around to nearly crash into Negi, who was at that moment watching the music box curiously over her shoulder. They both stopped, blushing slightly at the closeness as the music kept on playing in the background, the sweet, soothing tones making the scene look incredibly romantic... especially to the rear watch that stood outside. The matron coughed slightly, to draw their attention. While she personally didn't mind, she thought they were a bit too young for such actions, and even if they weren't... it was still her shop.

"I see you found something that drew your interest, hmm?" she near whispered contently.

"Hai" Konoka quickly answered, face turning into her usual, cheerful smile.

"How much is it?" Negi asked, slightly worried that they might not have enough money to pay for it.

"Oh, for you... 500 yen." the old woman stated,trying to remember the price of her favorite brand of cigars. The item they had chosen had stayed around for a long while, and they were doing her a favor by buying. Who's to say that she couldn't give them a nice offer?

Negi smiled widely, pulling out the money and paying for it, shaking his head when Konoka gently nudged him to let her chip in. She grumbled slightly as the two of them walked out in search of some gift-wrapping paper, never noticing the shop behind them fading into nothingness. Neither did the trio that was following them, mostly because their eyes were focused on them. None of them also noticed the faint glow which had shortly surrounded the music box that was inside a small bag, nor the smirk of the matron of the shop before it vanished.

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Naruto could hardly be called a happy man as he sat down in his office, with two teenaged girls in front of him, and he had a bad feeling a third one would be joining in soon.

"So..." he trailed off, waiting for the two girls to begin the conversation. He had no intention of revealing more than necessary, but then again, if they impressed him enough, he might be willing to spill something. "What would you like to know? Keep in mind that I won't answer all of your questions"

At that Kaede and Ku Fei took a short look at each other, making a quick nod as they came to the same decision.

"Would you train us?" they simultaneously asked. Naruto barely resisted the urge to palm his face in irritation. Of all the stupid.... And then he smiled. It was no longer the friendly, kind smile he usually bore towards those who weren't his enemies... no, this was a cruel and wicked smile, one that promised pain beyond measure and physical torment beyond reason. It had been so long since the last time he had _fun_ while teaching someone.

"A chunin shinobi of the Koga-ryu, and an aspiring martial artist trained in China's old styles" he quietly stated "ask me to train them? Are you ready for what that entails?" he asked, his voice very serious. Kaede and Ku Fei hesitated for a second, before resolutely nodding. Perhaps they had more guts than he originally expected

"Alright then..." he responded, the dark grin vanishing, replaced by the usual contended one.

"Uhm, Naruto-san? How did you know I belonged to the Koga-ryu?" Kaede asked curiously, as like every serious shinobi, she was trained to observe, rather than simply see.

"From the way you fought. It wasn't really hard for one who has sufficient knowledge" Naruto responded, before rising up and stretching his arms, the sound of joints popping accompanying said motion.

"Well, we still have nearly a week before the trip. I'll be waiting for you every morning at 6 in front of your dorms. Join me there. After that we'll begin your... tor...ehm..training" he almost misspoke... intentionally, nearly giggling with glee as he watched the two girls leave. Now all that remained was the last one that wanted to talk, and she would likely cause the most trouble. Well, it wasn't like he couldn't spend some time messing around with her, it was just that he had other things in mind for the day. His group would be dropping by likely tonight, and he still had to inform the rest of the security personnel about it.

He smiled slightly at the thought of seeing his old friends again. He missed seeing Mariah, and to his disappointment, he missed her last birthday, something she simply didn't comment. He still remembered the day they found her, a five-year old girl, struggling against her captors defiantly even after they had killed the people who took care of her in the orphanage, how she had the guts to kick him in the balls faster than he could stop her...she always had a fiery temper. But she was still the closest thing he had to a daughter, and he made a mental note to spend more time with her this time round, if in any way possible.

Richter wold also be a sight for sore eyes. He quietly, but darkly chuckled as he imagined the meeting between him and Evangeline, as the albino had a rather... bad reputation among vampires. Being the technical equivalent of a priest amongst the undead did that to people.

He sighed tiredly and turned to the ever-growing pile of paper that stood on his desk. Gingerly, he took the one on the top and began reading, his pencil making lightning-fast moves to mark off parts.

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Negi lightly groaned, rubbing his sleepy eyes as the mess around him reached it's peak.

"Konoka, Negi!" he heard a voice he recognized as Ayaka, the class president, and apparently a woman who cared a great deal about him shout. He blinked warily at the slightly hostile situation.

"Looks like they figured us out" Konoka cheerfully stated, though there was a hint of slight disappointment in her voice. He sighed, his face taking a defeated, but still somewhat content look

"Already? I hoped we could keep this a secret a while longer" he spoke, slowly rubbing the back of his neck, oblivious to the shocked faces Ayaka and Asuna were making.

"You mean you're really..?" Asuna started, only to be interrupted by Negi.

"It is a day early, considering it's the 20th, but still... Happy Birthday Asuna-san" Negi kindly spoke, offering the girl a small, wrapped up package.

Asuna's face moved from slight anger and confusion, to shock and surprise, to finally genuine gratitude and happiness. They hadn't forgotten. Not only that, but they spent their free day looking for a nice gift for her. Asuna was always the emotional type, reacting strongly to everything, so it was no surprise when a single tear slid down her cheek, as a small smile crossed her lips.

"Open it. It's a music box that plays your favorite tune" Konoka added, glad for her friend. Behind Asuna, Ayaka quietly smiled as well, content that this turned out to be something far kinder than what she had originally thought. She smiled a bit more as she reminded herself where she placed the gift that she herself had bought. Still, her presence was no longer needed, not to mention the three snoops that caused all of this.

Soon enough, the small music box found it's place next to Asuna's most prized possessions back in the dorms. She had sat down later that day to listen to the beautiful tune it produced, completely unaware of the faint light that it emanated.

_(17:00, Office of the Headmaster)_

"I see. So three of your friends will be visiting?" Konoemon quietly stated

"They will, most likely later today. I have already taken the liberty of reserving rooms in the hotel for them." Naruto responded "If you're worried about..." he started, but was interrupted by a raised hand

"Hoho... I'm not worried about that." he sighed "No, there have been a number of reports I received concerning the situation in Kyoto. As you know from the memo you received, the class trip next weekend is going there, and while Negi is very reliable and will do his best keep things safe...." he trailed off suggestively.

"You can't help but worry that he might not be enough. Is that it?" Naruto finished, already not liking the direction in which this was going.

"Precisely. I would like to ask you to accompany them" Konoemon finished. Naruto remained quiet. It wasn't the demand that troubled him, it was the voice in which he said it. Calm, calculated, and a hint, barely there, of worry and fear. And not only for his granddaughter, but for all of the students and for Negi.

"Why do I have to act like this?" he asked in a tired voice, one that left little doubt to his decision. "Anything else important you'd like to share with me?" he asked. "Like how you intend to ensure that there is no trouble in the time I'm absent? You know full well that I can't just teleport back here if something goes wrong"

"Leave those worries to me, I already have something planned. Also, I would prefer if you didn't act unless the situation was beyond Negi's ability to control. This is a test for him as well, and I would like to know how he stands."

"He's pursuing that Magister Magi thing?" Naruto asked shortly

"Quite. You probably heard, but he's quite the prodigy, graduating with full marks and a great deal of magical knowledge at the age of ten"he stopped for a second "Also, you are aware that Eva-chan will not be going to the trip, as well as Chachamaru?" the elder Konoe asked, giving Naruto a rather interesting idea.

"Hey old man, I think I might have a rather interesting plan" Naruto quickly stated, puling out a small paper and writing a number of things down before passing it to the elder. Konoemon eyed the paper dubiously.

"Would you be able to do this? And better yet, would she accept?" Konoemon asked, a single eyebrow quirked as he eyed the demon in front of him.

"I am quite certain that the answer is yes to both questions." Naruto confidently responded, entwining his fingers as he sank slightly into the comfy recliner he was in.

"Good. Then the matter is settled, you have my permission to do as you plan as far as the matter is concerned. Now, I think you should meet your young charge for the trip" he sagely noted, as the door of the office opened, the child teacher, dressed in his green suit walking in, a small, white ermine curled on his shoulder

"Hello Konoe-san. You called for me?" Negi asked politely

"Take a seat. I would like to introduce you to someone Negi-kun." Konoemon explained, the usual grandfatherly smile present on his aged face.

"Negi-kun, you received the notification about a new chief of security at Mahora, correct?" he waited for the boy to nod before continuing"This young man here is Naruto Uzumaki."

"Pleased to meet you Negi." Naruto offered in a friendly tone "Oh, is that your familiar?" he asked curiously, to a slightly shocked Negi. He merely smiled at the lack of response from the younger boy "What? Did you think I didn't know? Sheesh, kids these days" he jokingly added "Well, for future reference, I know of your status, as it were, along with a bit of your ancestry." he explained, laughing in the process as Negi calmed down a bit.

"I see, a pleasure to meet you as well, Uzumaki-san" Negi returned, shaking the offered hand.

"Oh, just Naruto will do. I never liked formalities that much." he added '_I get enough of that from Richter and the rest of my men..._' he inwardly groaned.

"Okay, Naruto then." Negi confirmed. "To answer your earlier question, yes, Chamo here is my familiar" he stated, giving the sleeping ermine a slight pat on the head, which the highly intelligent magical animal ignored, merely grumbling in his sleep.

"So, you've performed the binding ritual eh? Good for you." Naruto commended, and was slightly surprised as Negi's face

"Binding ritual? You know, that little thing that turns an ordinary or magical animal into a true familiar? Makes a telepathic link between your minds and all? No?"

"Ehm, I don't think I knew about it" Negi offered, rubbing the back of his head while smiling sheepishly. Naruto merely chuckled in turn, and Konoemon smiled as he watched Naruto offer to teach the ritual to the boy. He also noted how he skipped mentioning that he had known Nagi, Negi's father, from his time during the great war, but still, that was a mater for another time. For the time being, he was glad that the gambit he had made had worked out.

"Ah, so it goes like this!" Negi enthusiastically stated as he pointed at a part of the ritual circle that Naruto made on a piece of paper "But wouldn't this part be more efficient if we replaced this with..." Naruto nodded as the boy remade a part of the normally accepted ritual circle. He had enjoyed the short discussion he had so far with Negi, as the boy proved to be not only intelligent, but remarkably so for his years. That, and he had both knowledge and talent, and was not afraid to use them. The basic ritual circle used for binding familiars to their 'master' (and he used the word very loosely, since it was more of a partnership), was honestly quite crude, but it got the job done. The stuff that Negi offered... it gave him ideas, opened venues he himself hadn't considered. He let out a chuckle, interrupting the explanation the boy was giving.

"What's so funny Naruto?" he asked, slightly indignant.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just entertained by your sheer creativity. It's been a while since I enjoyed an intellectual conversation so much. Here, take the paper, and if you have any questions come and visit me at my office. I'll be more than glad to help out" Naruto answered him kindly, while Negi looked at him in mild shock, before smiling as well.

"Thank you. And I will" the boy mage responded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have reports to write" he said, offering both a short bow before leaving.

"And I have reports to read. See you around old man. I'll send about a report in the morning" Naruto added, walking out a minute after Negi.

Suddenly, Konoe Konoemon realized something. He had paperwork of his own to handle. But still, he was content with how the day had passed. He picked up the one picture that stood on his desk, gazing longingly at it. Within, encased in strong protective magic was the last remaining likeness of his family, when it was last whole. Himself, his late wife, his daughter and her husband, and finally his granddaughter.

Few would still remember it, and fewer still knew the other identities he used at times... but Konoe Konoemon was not a man to be trifled with. And he protected those dear to him. Fiercely.

_(21:30, Academy Train Station)_

Naruto was getting edgy. Could they have actually missed the last train here? If so, he knew who was to blame. To think that Mariah managed to persuade Richter and Lee to go shopping... well, she could be very persuasive if she wanted to, but still.

His fears were allayed as the last train finally approached, three lone figures visible through the glass windows, all of them smiling at the man that awaited them.

"Dad!" Mariah shouted as the doors opened, rushing to hug the man she viewed as her father for years now. Naruto stood still, hands extended to catch her as she leaped at him. He hugged the girl tightly as she nearly brought him down, laughing as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

"I'm glad to see you too Mariah." he warmly responded, only then turning to greet his two old friends.

"Richter, Lee. I'm glad you're here as well."

"It is good to see you too Commander" Richter called, offering a deep bow to the man he respected the most.

"No use telling you not to act like that, right?" Naruto sighed, palming his face as Mariah kept laughing, while Lee chuckled.

"I see you still like playing around Naruto" Lee commented.

"What can I say? Keis hit the jackpot with this job. It's been fun these past few days." Naruto spoke back, putting Mariah back on the ground.

"Well, I have a reserved place for dinner tonight for all of us. After that I'll take you to the rooms I got for you. Okay?" he asked, and the three nodded. As they walked out, Richter took his usual place right behind Naruto, while Mariah walked right next to him, with Lee hanging back next to Richter

From her stal... watching spot Kazumi Asakura was watching the exchange. She made a number of notes, especially the mention of the word 'commander' and the fact that the large man, one she heard was called Richter treated the new Chief of Security with the utmost respect, as well as the fact that he seemingly had a daughter, one that he shared very little resemblance with. She made notes of all the names mentioned, and the people they belonged to before getting up and following them a bit more. She was absolutely certain that she had found the material for a good story. Now, all that remained was to dig around a bit for a few more days, and maybe she'd have something to publish before the school trip.

Mariah was as happy as can be. There were few people she cared for as much as she did for her adopted father, and seeing him again after a whole year was something she was looking forward to. That, and the competition that was going to be held in a week in Kyoto too. _'Maybe I can convince dad to come with me there?' _she silently mused as they walked towards the only hotel in Mahora, a place generally meant for various visiting dignitaries, since they tended to come from time to time.

It was a very comfortable place, much like the rest of Mahora, four stars bordering on five, with spacious rooms and excellent apartments on the top. However, the shining start of the hotel was it's restaurant, serving excellent food at humane prices.

Naruto remained blissfully quiet throughout the night, enjoying the company of the people he had long since come to consider his family, and their retelling of recent events. Sure, he had already read about it all from the reports Keis sent him over, but it was still something to hear them talk about it, Mariah's boisterous, but honest telling, Richter's precise and warm stories, and finally Lee's constant jokes. It warmed his heart and reminded him of the good times, especially that time in Paris when he and Richter... his lips turned into a wide grin as he blushed slightly at the memory. Oh he just _had_ to do something like that again. Who knew that a woman could bend like that?

Still, the night passed peacefully, and Naruto was content to escort his family to their rooms. The final one was Richter, and he had a good reason to see him.

The two quietly entered the last room, shutting the door behind them. Richter immediately sat down on the bed, turning to Naruto

"Keis sent a package for you, sir" he stated, hand going under the jacket to pick out a large wrapped up object, easily the size of a wine bottle

"Is it...?" he asked, a slight hint of nervousness present.

"It is. Fully prepared for you. She even added the tranquilizers you prefer using." Richter added. "Still, maybe you should figure out a new way."

"You know I've tried Richter. God dammit, I feel like a drug addict itching for his daily fix" Naruto cursed as he unwrapped the package, revealing a crystal case. It wasn't glass, rather a rare type of crystal that was used to hide magical objects, as it essentially neutralized any attempts at divination. Inside, were a set of five syringes, each of them filled with a lightly glowing, blue liquid. Magical energy bonded to specific particles and compressed sufficiently to assume liquid form. It was his drug, and his monthly dose as well. It was the thing that kept him from going out and devouring the souls of being... something that would force him to cast away his humanity, or at least what was left of it after a nearly full millennium.

Richter sadly watched Naruto as he glared at the syringes, sadly aware of the situation he found himself in. Sad, because he had a similar situation as well, though the consequences of his own feeding on blood were far less stern... no, to him it was a problem if he didn't do so regularly, as the hunger would overtake him... and he would leave behind a trail of corpses as he fed. He didn't need to experience it to know it, having seen a number of other vampires do it over the centuries. The ever present hunger was a silent horror that always stayed on the edges of sanity, encroaching whenever the opportunity was given. To him, the true miracle was that Naruto endured it for a millennium without breaking down. No other demon had ever done such a thing, not to his knowledge... and instead of being a mockery for it, Naruto grew stronger, with a will of steel that would only falter when he decided it so. And he respected him deeply for it.

"No use bitching about it sir" Richter sagely commented, bringing about a slightly annoyed look from Naruto, before both broke into laughter. Even with all the burdens carried, life could still be good, and they both had things to look forward to in the coming days.

_(The night before the trip, 20:00, Evangeline's cabin)_

Naruto was somewhat dreading this moment for days now. Everything else had gone smoothly. Richter and Lee accepted to stand guard while he was absent, Mariah was coming with him because she had a competition she wanted to go to in Kyoto. Ku Fei and Kaede surprised him with the rate they were improving at... they simply lacked someone to give them a little direction. He was also content when both accepted to help out should trouble crop up. He knew too well that at times quantity worked over quality. He hadn't seen Tatsumiya Mana the entire week though, and neither did the reporter girl show up at any time. He was curiously considering whether she was digging around for clues on him.

The dreaded cabin loomed in sight, drawing ever closer as he walked. He was wondering whether Evangeline would accept his offer, trading one cage for another, even if only temporarily_._ He took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Seconds later, the familiar, neon-green framed face pocked out.

"Yes?" Chachamaru asked in what passed as a polite voice to her.

"Ah, I'm here to see miss Evangeline?" he politely stated. The girl/robot nodded shortly

"Wait here for a moment please" she answered him, closing the door. A few moments later, the door opened. "Come in. Master is waiting for you in the living room" she explained, ushering him in.

As soon as he entered the living room, he was greeted by the rather grumpy look on Evangeline's face.

"Hello Uzumaki" she spoke quietly, her voice void of any emotion.

"Miss McDowell." Naruto returned

"Dare I ask what brings you here tonight?" she continued, a sigh of exasperation leaving her lips a moment before she spoke.

"I'll be short then." Naruto retorted, leaning back into the chair "How would you like to go on the school trip tomorrow?"

Evangeline's eyes widened only slightly at his words, hiding well the emotions she felt inside.

"How, and what do yo want in return? I am not foolish enough to believe you are doings this out of the goodness of your heart." she stated.

"What will it take to assure you, hmm?" Naruto thought out loud "Oh well, here's the offer. I know something of the curse that keeps you here, a few details here and there, but enough to produce a... bubble of a barrier, as it were, that would fool the curse into believing that you are still within Mahora. The problem is, that I would have to use my own energies to fuel it, meaning you would be stuck within a certain distance from me until we return. About twenty meters, I'd guess" he explained, and Evangeline once more found herself intrigued. Even if he wasn't a rather powerful demon, Naruto had a reputation as an expert on barriers. If anyone could pull it off, he could.

"And once we return? What would happen then?"

"Simple, the moment the bubble touches the original barrier around Mahora, you can safely pass between them. One more detail you should keep in mind. Once you enter that bubble, should the barrier around Mahora fail, you will be able to leave safely... for as long as it's inactive. I am still unsure of the exact mechanics behind it all, so I can't help you there" Naruto added

"You make a fine offer Naruto. Now please tell me, what do you stand to gain from this? You've avoided that question since the start of this conversation." she asked, turning shortly towards Chachamaru "Would you please bring us some tea?"

"What do I stand to gain?" Naruto repeated, dragging out the sentence "Absolutely nothing"

"Why do I get the feeling you're lying to me?" she asked rhetorically.

"Who knows? Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But regardless, as long as you're present at the trip, I'm content" Naruto explained, entwining his fingers behind his head. She watched him, trying hard to figure out what he was plotting now.

_'What is he playing at? I know that bastard is a master manipulator when he wants to be. Could he want access to this place when I'm gone? No, he could arrange it regardless, and I have little of interest here beside Chachamaru and Chachazero... and the two of them would go with me if I left. So there's nothing to gain that way. My absence wouldn't change much, as I mostly help clean up errant fools who come in uninvited... ah... I think I have it now. He's going to the trip as well, isn't he? Then he wants me to help him there. Cunning little bastard. But still, he hasn't lost his touch.' _

"Tell me something, oh lord Spellbound" she stated in a serious voice "Why do you try so hard to get in my good graces?" she demanded, her petite fingers clutching the cup of tea for it's warmth.

Naruto sighed this time, grasping his own cup from Chachamaru with a thankful glance in her direction. He sipped slowly, enjoying the mild taste of jasmine that flooded his mouth.

"A wise general makes his alliances before the battles come" he seriously responded "Besides, I said it when I first came here, didn't I? I hold a lot of respect for you... and I can understand being trapped somewhere rather well. So, may I have your answer milady?"

"Yes." Evangeline answered, a faint smile pulling at her lips. Naruto smiled back and got up, walking towards the door

"Good then." he spoke, a single hand raised to bid farewell" I'll complete the preparations tonight, and will be waiting for you at the station tomorrow. I wish you a good night" he spoke as the doors closed behind him. Chachamaru looked at her master with worry, especially at the strange expression she had. Was it longing? Her own internal systems couldn't recognize it properly, but it worried her.

"Master, are you alright?" she asked in a concerned tone

"Oh?" she muttered, seemingly startled "I am okay Chachamaru. Do not concern yourself. We have packing to do" she responded, sounding far more cheerful as she finished. Inwardly though, she wondered. It had been a long time sine she traveled anywhere... in fact she had spent over ten years bound to this place. Any place in the world would be refreshing... Naruto Uzumaki was just as cunning as he was every time they clashed from the shadows. She wondered for a moment how it would be to work with him for a change.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Five points... lines connecting them..." Naruto muttered as he finished the final preparations before the trip. The infusion of energy that would sustain him wasn't as simple as stabbing the syringes into his body and hoping for the best... no, it had to be a somewhat complicated ritual that required at least five people to perform. Once more, he thanked the heavens for knowing the various clone techniques.

He was lying on his bed, nearly naked while five of his clones, sustained by magic rather than chakra finished drawing the ritual points. Two were the main and veins that went to the heart, two more were the veins in his arms and the final one was at the base of his skull. The clones were preparing to inject the contents of the syringes into them. Five points, five injections, ones that would keep him working for another month... two if he was lucky.

"Tranq me up" he commanded the clones, and one of them did so, stabbing the smaller syringe into the vein in his right arm. It took a few moments for it to kick in, but he was glad for it. In reality, it wasn't a normal tranquilizer, as those had no effect on him, but in fact distilled snake poison from a rare coral viper which numbed his entire body in small doses. It served a simple purpose... it helped stop him from screaming as the magic bonded to him.

"Alright then. Do it." he ended it, biting down on the towel he had prepared for this. He felt the stabs coming, five needles entering his flesh simultaneously. He felt them hitting the various critical points in his body, the numbing taking away the pain and leaving behind only the strange sensation of pressure. As one, the clones began injecting the contents of the syringes. He bit down on the towel hard, trying everything to stop himself from screaming into it as the mana contained within flared into his body. Pain, the one he remembered the last time he did this came, burning through every single point in his body as his bloodstream delivered the minute particles throughout the body, while the ritual circles around the vulnerable points kept him from dying.

Even if it lasted for mere seconds, to him it felt like an eternity before the pain subsided and was replaced by the feeling of raw, unbridled power and pleasure, the high of so much magic being in his body. His vision was slightly blurred on one hand, but on the other, he could see 'it' again. That color, the different one... the magic in the air around him, the sun-like glow of his own limbs, the fact that his eye were glowing a vibrant green as he look in the mirror.

Slowly, it faded away, leaving him content, but somehow empty. It was a good feeling though, as that high he had just went through was not something he wanted to get used to. If truly necessary, he knew several ways to replicate that vision, and he didn't want to worry those close to him that he was going to turn into a monster. Taking a short look at the wounds on his hands, he realized that they likely wouldn't heal before morning, just like those over the back of his head and on his back. Dammit all, he needed a shower.

In the morning, he sighed quietly as he hefted the small bag over his shoulders, as well as a small violin case in his other hand and waited for the others to show up. He had woken up too early. Not even the train was here yet.

"Ah dammit all. Might as well enjoy myself" he muttered, sitting down on his bag, which thankfully contained nothing but clothes, and opening the case. He noted that he had forgotten the bow. Letting a resigned sigh out, he extended his right hand, the nearly invisible bracer beneath his sleeve reforming into a bow for his violin.

"Thank you Meshira" he quietly added. "I hope you will enjoy my song"

Quieting down, he brought the small instrument to his neck, slowly closing his eyes as the bow reached the strings... and he began playing.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** And that's it folks. I hope you found the chapter enjoyable. It should have answered some of your questions, and brought up a number of others as well, which was the general idea.

Just for the sake of reference, Naruto is the commander of the Black Legion mercenaries, with Richter acting as a second in command. I won't be stating anything else :D

So, read, enjoy if possible and review. I won't repeat myself a thousand times, but author's live on reviews, they tell us if you enjoyed the story, where we made mistakes and how to improve.

So, until next time, which should be somewhere in February since I have exams now. See ya :P


	5. The Trip : Gates of Kyoto Part 1

**Author's Ramblings:** Hot damn, it took me four bloody months to write this. Far too much for comfort. Anyway, I have no real excuses apart from the standard writer's block issues, and focusing on my other stories while college life and my friends siphoned the rest of my free time...

Before we go any further, I believe I should warn you that the story is about to take a turn for the darker. Well, that's enough for you I think :P

Also, this is where the story will finally take a big turn from the original. Frankly, the death of Jack Rackan killed (for me at least) a part of the joy of the cannon story. So, I'll just come out and say it. Expect changes, big ones.

* * *

_Chapter 5 : The Trip : Gates of Kyoto_

He was unaware of his surroundings as he played the violin, unaware of the crowd that had gathered to watch and listen to him playing, the sad, but surprisingly vibrant song echoing through the hall of the station. He never paid much attention to his surroundings when he played, and in their humor, it seemed the gods watched over him as he did so, for he was never once attacked while he played.

Finally ending his song, Naruto opened his eyes to notice the entirety of the class of 3-A, plus Negi watching him. Nearby, Mariah was merely smiling at him, eyes closed as she was leaning against a support beam.

He smiled sheepishly as people began applauding to his performance, offering a bow as he held his violin away, acting as a performer would after a concert.

"Hello Naruto." Negi greeted him, and much to his pleasure, avoided using any honorific or his surname.

"Hey Negi. Ready for the trip?" he jokingly asked, pointing at the amount of things he had brought with him.

"Completely!" Negi chirped "Oh, and I finished that thing you gave me."

"Good for you kid" he answered, ruffling the boy's hair, much to his annoyance, and to the chuckles of many around them. He found out that, just like he did when he was much younger, Negi hated to be treated like a little kid... which made it even more entertaining to do things like this from time to time.

"Uhm...Negi-sensei? Who is that man?" Asuna curiously asked... after all, she didn't have the... dubious pleasure of meeting Naruto. Said man(?) chuckled lightly, a sheepish smile forming on his face.

"I haven't introduced myself yet, have I?" he lightly spoke, a tired smile dancing across his face.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I will be acting as the resident physician, as well as aid Negi-kun here with dealing in security matters." he finished his introduction with a short, formal bow. "Pleased to meet you, everyone."

To his surprise, no questions came. They simply accepted him at face value... he never could get used to how childish people could act, even though it was in reality his own image that was twisted, having grown up in a less than child-friendly environment. At fourteen, he had already killed more people than he wanted to recount. At fifteen, he was already a special jounin with focus on ninjutsu. At sixteen, he already had his name posted and framed in the Bingo books. A perfectly normal teen, no?

He kept his silence as the others gathered, ignoring the pointed look several girls gave him until Evangeline arrived. He barely stopped a chuckle as he noticed just how excited the girl was about leaving Mahora. Mariah was also eying him strangely when he smiled at the vampire's arrival. She was skilled enough to sense that the girl was far from a normal kid... but she didn't really care about it. If her father was okay with it, so was she.

"Miss Evangeline" he politely saluted the young-looking woman as she approached the two of them, Chachamaru not far behind, and a puppet sitting on the robot-girl's shoulder.

"I hope our agreement still stands?" she asked, her voice perfectly calm, even though she had to invest some effort into it.

"Of course. I am, after all, a man of my word. Also, I would like you to meet my daughter Mariah Melendorf." he stated, gesturing only slightly towards her.

"A pleasure miss McDowel.l" Mariah responded in a forced polite tone. Not that she had anything against her... she had something against what she considered to be' stuck up manners' her dear father tended to use sometimes.

"As well, miss Melendorf." Evangeline courtly replied. '_Daughter? And yet she doesn't look a bit like him... so she's likely adopted. Curious... never pictured him of all people as the father type._' she inwardly mused.

Naruto smiled slightly as Evangeline walked off, content to speak with the others, especially as he noticed, with Negi. He only then noted that Chachamaru hadn't followed her.

"Can I help you Chachamaru-san?" he politely offered, barely keeping his eyes open as he was once more getting sleepy... the ritual last night wouldn't let him rest normally for a while.

"I don't know what your intentions are Uzumaki-san, but let me warn you. If you harm Master in any way..." she trailed off "I _will_ find a way to kill you." she finished with an ice-cold voice, which was quite an achievement for the robot girl. Naruto merely blinked at the promise she made, but smiled shortly after, as soon as the girl walked away. Chachamaru was a curious being to him, as he had never before encountered an automaton that was so... _human._ He had noted earlier that she had been studying him, trying her best to figure out whether he was a threat to Evangeline. How deliciously entertaining.

"You think she'll be a threat?" Mariah curiously asked, though in a subdued voice.

"Doubtful. She cares for her mistress very much, and is acting overprotective. As I have nothing against Evangeline, there won't be any issues." He responded in an equal tone. "Though I would prepare your tools, if I were you. I've been getting one of those feelings for a while now."

"Dad... it's not that I don't trust you.... but are you sure you're not just being paranoid again?" she asked, hopeful that he was wrong.

"I wish." Naruto wistfully replied, a sad frown marring his features as he got up and walked over to the train, preparing to board it as did the others

"Me too." Mariah responded in a whisper, letting out a sad laugh as she did so.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Naruto watched as the landscape changed while train moved, his eyes slowly closing as the exhaustion finally caught up with him. If only he could stay awake a bit more... he didn't want to return to his dreams, and to the many, many good and bad memories. Especially the latter. The last thing he needed right now was to wake up screaming about something he did centuries ago. He kept his eyes mostly closed, leaving a slit just large enough to keep his attention on things. The boy mage Negi was doing a fine job of that himself... that is, until he noticed a rather unusual object, or rather, creature blocking his line of sight.

"A...frog?" he bemusedly commented, eyes slowly opening as the amphibian studied him in what he assumed was curiosity. Naruto was less amused to find out that there were a number of other frogs within the train, causing general havoc. Well, not really his problem, though he had something of a hunch that this wasn't an ordinary occurrence... and it didn't really help much that the scent of magic alien to him was a dead giveaway.

He gently picked up the amphibian from his nose and placed it on his head as he returned to his half-slumber, ignoring the scalding looks Mariah and Evangeline were giving him. Strangely enough, Chachamaru was looking at the frog that hopped on her head with mild curiosity.

To his immediate right, Negi was panicking. Perhaps running a few messes like this would be good for him. He had to learn to work under pressure sooner or later after all.

So, after making sure that the frog was comfortably set on the top of his head, he delved deeper into slumber, memories of his past once more resurfacing. To many, the short hours of sleep and dreams were a welcome commodity, but not to a man who had lived for a thousand years, and had more than a few things he regretted over them. Still, it was a losing battle, and he knew it. Better rest up at least a bit, and recover his strength.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Is he always like that?" Eva asked the girl sitting across from her. Mariah merely shook her head.

"Dad is still a bit tired." she stated, eying the seemingly teen boy with a warm smile. "Normally, he would be sitting atop the train while it ran at top speed, or doing something just as crazy."

Both were interrupted as a small bird tried to fly by, only for still sleeping Naruto caught it between his fingers. What had a moment ago been a bird, was instantly reduced to a piece of paper holding a small letter.

"Forgive my rudeness, but... were you adopted?" Eva continued. Normally, she had gotten used to being treated like a little girl, not to mention her tendency to act petulantly, however, Naruto had treated her with respect, not just for the fact that she was a powerful vampire, but a fellow immortal, as if she was his equal. A part of her, the proud, vain part, was insulted at the insinuation that he thought himself her better, but she knew better than to be foolish. The least she could do in turn was act with some degree of civility to him and his kin.

Mariah looked at her strangely for a moment, as if asking her if it wasn't obvious. Seeing the look on Eva's face, she relented.

"Yes. Some... twenty or so years ago, he saved my life, after the people that took care of me were... killed. He and his friends raised me ever since." She explained, her voice slowly turning sad. While she could easily talk about most things unfettered by concern, some facts were best left out of the general public's eye.

"I am sorry for bringing up an unpleasant memory." Eva retorted apologetically. She was no stranger to loss, as nearly any person she came to like over the years eventually died of old age or was killed in some gruesome way

All four present ignored Negi as he ran by, taking the letter from Naruto's hand, thanked them profusely, and moved on. Moments later, Naruto woke up, using the stretched arm to rub his sleepy eyes.

"Did I miss something?" he asked calmly.

"Well, you caught some sort of bird with your hand dad." Mariah answered him, a slight, melodic giggle escaping her lips. Naruto chuckled in turn, snaking a hand to hug his adoptive daughter. "I forgot to ask, how is Meshira doing?"

"She's sleeping now." Naruto softly responded "But I'll wake her up later so the two of you can talk, okay?"

"Good old dad..." Mariah responded with a smile, letting her head rest on Naruto's shoulder, and slowly falling asleep.

"So, up for another game of go?" Naruto suddenly offered, turning to Eva. The vampire girl nodded with a smile that sent shivers up his spine as she pulled a go board out of god knows where, while Chachamaru provided a bag of stones for the game. From then on, the quartet descended into complete silence.

_(12:00, Mahora, hotel room)_

Inside the room, or more accurately, on the bed stood the perfectly still figure of the man known as Lee Fen Dao. Even among his own people, back among the southwestern reaches of China, he was a great unknown.

Dressed only in pants as he meditated, one by one, the muscles on his rather impressive upper body moved, tensing and relaxing one after the other. It was an exercise in control, a simple one for him, true, but just as important as some of the more advanced Ki trainings he did.

Still, it was a nice way to pass the time until night fell, and his services were once more needed. Both Keis and Skadi had been picking up things on various parts of the massive information network the Legion possessed. Hints about the gathering of power in various organizations both big and small. And the general sentiment among the group, was that it would soon be time for the Legion to gather once more.

The feeling of dread at the thought of a new war was only surpassed by the feeling of raw excitement at the thought of the Black Legion once more gathering in full numbers. Ever since they became public, the formerly small group had grown to count over a thousand men and women under the supreme command of Spellbound, Uzumaki Naruto.

"Conflict is the crucible of change and progress, and there is none greater than war." he quietly murmured, eyes slowly opening as he got up. Despite the young appearance, Lee was not a young man. The years had taken their toll on him, however, finely the tuned instinct developed over the decades was telling him that the Commander was once more right. Something was going to happen, and soon.

Well, thank heaven he still had enough time for the afternoon tea.

_(23:00, Kyoto, Hotel)_

The day had passed quickly for the class of 3-A, as well as for the other students in the group. After a day filled with various... fun activities, Naruto was more than glad to finally reach his bed. Alive.

Mariah had left a few hours after they reached Kyoto, apparently going to the hotel room the organizers of the competition reserved for her. It was important to her, especially since she was one of the VIP guests there.

As far as he was concerned, it would be perfect if nothing happened during their say here. But he knew better than to think they would be that lucky. With so many high-profile students in the group he was looking after, it would be a miracle if no one was attacked.

The room he had gotten was comfortable, even if he did have to share it with Negi, Evangeline, Chachamaru and finally, the second, completely and utterly mad doll, Chachazero. The boy was hardly a problem, as polite and caring as he was, he was easy to get along with. The others however...

"Ughh... I need some sleep" he quietly groaned, taking off the harness with his equipment and putting it down on his bed.

"Tell me something Naruto, how did you convince them that I needed to be in the same room as you?" Eva asked curiously. "Why, such an action might cause you to be viewed as a ...pervert." she trailed off with a slightly evil smile.

"Not at all, m'lady." Naruto responded, with a smirk of his own "I merely stated that your medical condition required a capable physician to be close by at all times."

"Medical condition?" Chamo chipped in

"Why yes, Eva has a rare heart condition which has only recently begun improving, hence her increased mobility lately. I believe the term I used was Supraventricular Tachycardia, if memory serves."

"Does that even exist?" Eva asked him curiously.

"I am quite certain it does, Keis dug it up on the net a few days ago. It should be treatable, but a nastier variant isn't as easy to treat, especially if not properly diagnosed on time." Naruto continued to explain, slowly dropping down onto the bed, stomach first. He really didn't want to put pressure on the brand.

"After I told them that, I asked the staff if they were truly so heartless to risk the death of a little girl, and they arranged the room in minutes."

"Wow... you're good at this." Chamo absently commented.

"I have a lot of experience at manipulating opponents to do what I want them to do. No big deal." Naruto responded humbly "Now, if you don't mind, I really need some rest. With my luck, I'll need every minute I can get. Good night." he stated with some finality. The conversation was officially over.

"Master? Do you really have such a disease?" Chachamaru asked a scant few seconds later. Eva restrained herself from facepalming, and settled for a simple groan, while Negi took the opportunity to leave for the first patrol of the night.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Unlike the others, Mana wasn't asleep by now. Contrary to what she had originally planned, she had received a somewhat decent job offer. Now, apart from working as a mercenary, Tatsumiya Mana was a priestess and an exorcist as well, and it was this second part of her abilities that got her invited. The priestesses of the Tatsumiya family Shrine were famous across Japan, after all, and their services were widely requested.

The address she was at, however, brought back some memories.

Considering the focus that Eastern magic had on summoning demons, spirits and the like, Asia in general had the highest population of demonic half-breeds, but also the highest number of possessions, hauntings and other similar occurrences, as well as the highest number of exorcists of different sorts. Japan in particular was famous for providing such services, enough so, that the Catholic church exorcists were trained on their methods brought back during the early middle ages. The Tatsumiya family, and the Shinmeiryu swordmasters were the most famous examples.

One such family were once the noble Katsumioji, however, ever since World War II when a great number of them were killed by radiation or bombings, it had been in a steady decline, only for the last member to die without heirs two years ago, leaving a small mansion to fall to ruin.

And that was where she was now, the Katsumioji family shrine and homestead. The place, a collection of five traditional buildings surrounded by a stone wall that encased the inner garden, had seen better days. The path that led through the front gate was overgrown with weeds that had long since killed the flowers that once grew there.

The buildings themselves were in no better condition. At many places, she noticed the first signs of wood rot, the paper walls were torn at sections, and there were even traces of junk people had thrown.

The entire estate was arranged somewhat simply, the front, entry area possessed a small walkway that entered the first courtyard, an area that might as well have been outside it, since it had no connection to the rest of the estate, except by the front door. The rest was hidden by the first building.

Quietly, the girl walked past the gate, and onto the ill-lit path that lead to the shrine. Her left eye was giving off a slight glow, and her hands were resting on the pair of pistols she liked using so much, ready to fire at the first sign of movement.

The place was eerie, as the light of the streetlamps reached only halfway to the front door, and the creaking of the wooden boards as she walked up the stairs was little better. However, she wasn't scared.

Moving with the gait of an experienced predator, Tatsumiya mana bent down slightly, descending into a half-crouch, both pistols now drawn, as her head and hair whipped about while she scanned the area.

Noiselessly, she moved forward, just waiting to spot that faint outline that indicated a demonically possessed being or object. She opened the first door with her leg, and closed her right eye completely. While not perfect, a clearly visible outline of the area in front of her was now visible to her, etched out in a strange grayish-green color, one she was long-since used to.

The first room was empty, so she continued ever inward, towards the inner courtyard. As she opened the doors however, she was treated to a sight that left her heaving her lunch.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Nhhn... what's going on?" Eva asked quietly as Naruto shook her. While still sleepy, she could tell that he was frantic for some reason, and the nervous, worried look in his eyes told her enough. She needed to wake up, _now._

"Something happened to Tatsumiya." Naruto shortly explained, already fully dressed and ready "She just called, sounding like she had a nervous breakdown. And I know that a mercenary of her caliber doesn't break down easily"

Eva nodded in understanding, immediately getting to her clothes while lightly prodding Chachamaru to follow as well. Within a minute, the trio was up and ready to leave.

Getting out, Eva noticed that there was a taxi waiting for them, and she had little doubt he had already called one. As they traveled, she couldn't help but wonder what could have caused such a situation with the normally. _'Nothing to look forward to, that much is certain.' _she somewhat sullenly thought as the car stopped across an old building of some sort. Naruto quietly handled the payment, while gesturing for the two girls to exit the car. The driver asked no questions, a skill likely developed through years of driving people who didn't want their steps traced.

"Master, Naruto-san, what was she doing here?" Chachamaru curiously asked. Naruto slightly blinked at that thought, as her voice had changed only so slightly.

"Work, I'd guess. Look, there she is!" he stated, only pointing out after he saw a completely haggard, shaking figure sitting against one of the walls, nervously clutching a pair of pistols. Without waiting a moment more, he ran towards her, perfectly aware that she was likely going to shoot first when she spotted him.

"Mana! What happened?" he spoke to her, trying to stop himself from shouting, but still attracting her attention. The girl looked up to his worried face before jumping and hugging him tightly, all the while muttering.

"Body... mutilated so badly...b-blood... blood e-everywhere.. sacrifice..." after that, it descended into indiscernible whispers and sobs, however the few words were enough for him to get a good idea of what had happened. Gently, he lifted the sobbing girl into his arms, while focusing his magic. They were just behind the wall now, so there was little risk of being seen as a second Naruto appeared next to him, while he held onto Mana, and ran off instantly.

"Shhhh, it's okay, you're safe now." he whispered softly, stroking her back.

To the sides, Eva and Chachamaru watched the events, keeping close to Naruto for reasons obvious. His reaction was slightly puzzling to Evangeline though. Naruto was, by his own admission, a demon, and if the rumors were to be believed, an Elder even. And yet he still retained so much of his humanity, much more than she herself had over the years.

She had finally stopped sobbing and descended into an uneasy sleep when Naruto finally felt the stream of memories return from the clone he had just sent in... and he himself barely restrained his reaction.

"My goddess..." he muttered as his skin turned pale and his eyes widened.

"What the fuck happening Naruto? Tell me already?"

"Tell me Evangeline, what do you know of summoning rituals? Especially those for any older demon?" Naruto asked in a slightly shaken voice. The sight of a young man stripped naked and tied up... with easily a thousand different wounds, and his chest cut open... he didn't want to think about it any further. Sure, centuries war had hardened him to death and murder, but there were things you could never get used to.

Evangeline paled herself as he explained.

"Hallowed ground, the sacrifice of an innocent... and there were a number of ritual circles as well, were there?"

"A dozen at least, excluding the one the victim was on." Naruto responded.

"A dozen summoners then... a grand demonic summoning." Evangeline continued "Just what was summoned here?"

_'Nothing good' _was the unstated answer that went through everyone's head. Naruto was only glad that the clone had taken the time to memorize and then destroy any evidence of the foul act ever happening. He didn't want to consider the option of something like this becoming public. It was already clear to the two who knew about demons, what such an amount of power could bring forth. And a demon, even one of intermediate power, was nothing to be scoffed at.

And just when he hoped things wouldn't get any worse, the phone rang again.

* * *

**Author's notes:** I promised a turn for the dark, didn't I? It happened. This is the divergence point of the story, where it will seriously begin to differ from that of the original storyline. And yes, the _**evil**_ cliffhanger was necessary :D

To those curious, the disease I've mentioned _does_ exist, and this is in no way an attempt at mocking those who have it. Nor is it completely accurate information, more of part facts mixed with part fiction to spin a good story.

Then there's Mana. I've been spinning things off a bit from the cannon here. Consider it artistic liberty, as it was never explicitly stated just what her demon eye does, so I took it does what every eye does, sees stuff. A bit of nightvision, and detecting demons by their energies.

I have left a number of hints throughout the story, and so far, no one has managed to figure them out. I look forward to the moment you do.

But for now, here's a bit on Richter Rosenheim and Mariah Melendorf. Next chapter, you'll get a bit on Lee Fen Dao and Keis, leaving the final trio of Skadi, Naruto and Meshira for the second chapter from now, as well as a full group profile on the Black Legion. Yes, you read correctly. FULL profile.

_Character Profile:_

_Name: Richter Rosenheim, the Knight of the Fell Moon_

_Species: Vampire - Nightwalker_

_Age: Unknown, presumed to be over 500 years old_

_Height: 2.1 meters_

_Weight: 130 kg_

_Appearance: White hair, piercing red eyes, pale skin. Built like a titan. Tends to dress in rather _

_Special: Albinism, vampirism, absolute faith_

_Known weapons: Atonement, Absolution, Redemption (three 20 meter long greatswords whose power is fueled by his faith rather than magic.) _

_Interests: Exterior design, fishing, chess, Kama Sutra_

_Status: Apostate Christian priest, the last living crusader, Knight of the Fell Moon, and second in command of the Black Legion._

_Character Profile:_

_Name: Mariah Melendorf_

_Species: Halfbreed, Half-human half-demon (species unknown)_

_Age: 25_

_Height: 1.65 meters_

_Weight: 60 kg_

_Appearance: Dark skin, red hair, brown eyes. Light, wiry build, dresses in simple clothes _

_Special: none_

_Abilities: Parkour expert, evasion master, close-quarters combat expert, advanced knowledge of body improvement magic. Good piloting skills for battleships of class dreadnought and above._

_Interests: Parkour, Naruto, parties_

_Status: Adoptive daughter of Naruto Uzumaki, Black Legion scout_


	6. The Trip : Gates of Kyoto Part 2

**Author's ramblings: **Well, it took me a while to write this.. I hope you find it at least entertaining. I've recently received a complaint about Mana's breakdown not being in character. Let me point out a few details about that. She kept control of herself long enough to call Naruto, not Negi, as the blond was better suited to handle the situation. She retained enough sense to move to safety. And I will not be writing in gruesome detail as to what she had seen. Shortly put, it was one of those things that put a scar on your psyche that would likely never heal, all the while making you doubt humanity...

Enough about morbid things though... here's the next chapter for you to (hopefully) enjoy.

* * *

_Chapter 6 : The Trip : Gates of Kyoto part 2_

With no small amount of trepidation, Naruto answered the ringing on his cellphone. He had already looked at the caller id, and while he didn't have the name written, he easily recognized the number of the phone that the headmaster of the academy had given Negi to use.

"_Naruto! I need help now." _Negi's voice called in no small amount of panic over the phone. In the background, Naruto could make out the sound of running, and the occasional dull thud or crash.

"Alright, calm down and tell me what's wrong." Naruto responded, praying for the impossible, that it was something silly and harmless. Sadly, fate had other plans for the night.

"_Konoe Konoka has been kidnapped, and Tatsumiya Mana has also gone missing! Me, Asuna-san, Sakurazaki-san and Chamo are after the kidnapper, but I can't take the time to find Tatsumiya as well!"_

"I already found her, and she's mostly okay. Call me if you need any further help, Negi. And good luck." he responded calmly.

"_Thank god. I'll call if anything else comes up."_ Negi spoke back before terminating the connection.

"News?" Eva asked quietly. By now, she had remained quiet

"Some. Konoka got kidnapped for some reason. Negi and his group are apparently handling it."

"I may have an improved opinion of the boy, but are you certain it is wise to leave such a matter to him?" Eva questioned, crossing her arms underneath her non-existent chest.

"No. It isn't." Naruto flatly responded.

"Then why..."

"Why do it? Because right now, we have no alternatives. I have no allies I can call upon here, nor can I call Fen Dao or Rosenheim over. Their presence at Mahora keeps it safe while we are away. And my instinct tells me I can count on Negi to be smart when it's needed. So, back to the subject at hand. Why kidnap Konoka?"

"Oh, that part is simple." the diminutive blonde answered him.

"Care to enlighten me?"

"Konoka has a lot of dormant magical potential, not to mention an insane level of magic present within her. " she continued to explain, taking great pleasure in the fact that she knew something that Naruto didn't. She was going to milk this for all it's worth... though to her displeasure, he showed not a hint of irritation.

"Yes, I see where you are going with that. It wouldn't be impossible to harness that power, since she has no understanding of it, not to mention control... but what for?"

"Perhaps the Kansai Magic Association would be of some help? After all, Konoka's father leads it." Chachamaru offered from behind them, causing the the two blondes to turn around with that 'why didn't I think of that?' look on their faces.

"Chachamaru, you're a genius." Naruto mouthed. Eva was of similar opinion apparently, as she merely stared in some amount of shock.

"But what do we do with Mana here?" she asked, pointing at the now-sleeping girl that one of Naruto's clones was holding on to.

"We take her with us, but first, a few details so that we don't arise suspicion, I'm certain that someone has already tipped the police off.." the blond stated, getting up quietly.

_'What is he planning now? I'm certain he has a way of avoiding them, and since it's too unsafe to fly here, that isn't it...' _she thought, goingthrough every idea she could come up with

"Tell me Evangeline, how do you feel about acting your age?" he finally asked, a seemingly innocent smile on his face. Evangeline knew better, and when she finally figured out what he had in mind, she could do naught but smile.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Negi sat at the table in the hotel restaurant, looking at his still steaming cup of tea, and considering the events that had occurred this night.

In truth,e never saw it coming. In the entire time he spent patrolling the hotel room the night before he was supposed to pay a visit to the head of the Kansai Magic association, he spotted not a single trace of the attack that was coming. However, there was no time to wallow in misery for his failing.

Within a few minutes, he was running after the strange woman dressed in an oversized monkey suit.

_'Who in their right mind wears a monkey suit?' _he thought.

_'No one Negi...' _came the slightly disgusted mental answer of his ermine familiar. It still came to him as something of a surprise that Chamo would accept the bonding ritual, considering that he was one of those unfortunates who were turned into ermines for breaking the law, at least from what he understood... but then again Chamo was always a strange (and perverted) one.

The attack was long since over, and the girl, Setsuna had identified her as Chigusa Amagasaki, a member of the Kansai Magic Association, had escaped, but at least they had recovered Konoka..

_'And to think, Setsuna and Konoka knew each other for so long. What a sad story...' _he thought quietly as he finally turned to his cup of tea, looking at the figure on the other side of the table he was sitting at.

"So kiddo, how did you like the action?" Naruto asked in a humored tone "I hear you 'stripped' the opposition of all defenses." he added with a content smirk, to which Negi blushed

"But I didn't want to... well, I did actually... but I'm not a pervert!" he tried to defend himself, while Naruto laughed.

"Don't worry Negi. No one is accusing you of anything, though it was a... creative tactic." he retorted, offering some comfort to the young mage. "Still, what did you learn tonight?"

"That enemies don't fight fairly? And that there's no cheating in combat?" Negi attempted after a few seconds of thinking

"Meh, close enough." Naruto retorted after a moment.

"Hello boys, having a talk?" came a somewhat seductive female voice. Negi was certain it was from right behind him, because Naruto was smiling. Soon enough, a stunning blond woman in her late twenties passed by him, sitting down next to Naruto, and snaking an arm around his shoulders.

"Hello Na-ru-to-kun." she teased lightly, brushing her fingertips across his cheek.

"Ehm.. Naruto-sa..." Negi started, but stopped at the blond's light glare

"Naruto," he corrected himself "who is that?"

"Boy, don't tell me you can't recognize me?" the blond woman asked him in a melodic, charming voice.

Negi took a moment to compose himself, before putting his mind to the task at hand. The woman was blond, with shoulder long hair, and pale skin. Her face had an otherworldly beauty to it, with the paleness of the skin only serving to bring it out.

Her clothes were simple, a long black dress that accentuated her lithe appearance ( a fact that he noted with a blush he barely put down) and generous bosom, as well as a pair of black, high-heeled shoes.

But none of that told him as much as one look to those green eyes, that left him with out a doubt as to the identity.

"Evangeline?" he muttered, barely voicing the thought. "Bu-but how?"

"Now that would be telling, and a lady must have some secrets." Naruto joked, a fact that earned him a light growl from the woman next to him and a look that claimed 'Damn straight!'

"Don't worry Negi, the curse is still there. I've just circumvented the rules a bit." he explained further.

"Oh." the boy muttered. Evangeline was surprised to note the slight disappointment in his voice. True, Negi had promised her that he would find a way to break the curse his father had lain on her, but she hadn't really expected him to take it seriously. Yet another, promising surprise from the boy.. no... young man. Men who held true to their words were so rare these days, and even if she found the notion foolish to some extent, she respected it nonetheless.

"So..." Negi started, somewhat uncomfortably "What happened to Tatsumiya-san?"

The question was enough to bring down a chill on the small gathering, as silence descended. Evangeline stopped her flirtatious actions as her features took on a more serious look, while the same could be said of Naruto.

"She had seen a summoning." Evangeline shortly answered him. "A... dark summoning." she appended, a small hint of disgust present in her voice.

Negi's mind raced at the information, his concern for one of his students overriding any thoughts he might have had about the two in front of him. Summoning spells and rituals weren't his specialty, but he had studied up on them, just like he had studied nearly every form of magic that he could get his hands on back at the school.

They worked on a simple principle: draw a summoning circle that protected the summoner, and make a suitable offering. The bargaining that came with the first summoning needn't be repeated on the battlefield. However, when Eva mentioned a dark summoning, it took him little time to deduce what she had been referring to.

"A demon summoning?" he spoke in an ever so slightly disturbed voice.

"Yep. No clue what came through the poor man's body though..." Naruto flatly added, a fact that had Negi's stomach churning.

"How can you speak so lightly about a person getting killed? Worse, getting killed like that?" the boy all but shouted at Naruto. The blond stood quiet, his focused gaze burning a hole in Negi's confidence.

"Easily." he stated in a rapidly darkening voice. "I've killed thousands over the years kid. Tens of thousands likely. After a time, no death, no matter how horrible gets to you anymore."

To Negi's eyes, Naruto seemed to grow older as he spoke, as if some unseen weight slowly began pressing on his shoulders before sighing apologetically and slumping his shoulders slightly.

"Look... you were concerned about Mana, right?" he asked softly, diverting the course of the conversation.

"Mana is still asleep in a secure room, and she's safe, though she's still quite shaken from what she'd seen. I think it would do her good to see you in the morning." Naruto finally offered.

"In the mean time, I think it would be wise to pool the information we have together." Evangeline added. Thinking it over for a second, Negi nodded.

"Alright, here's what I learned from the kidnapping attempt on Konoka..." Negi spoke, starting to lay out what he had reasoned so far.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sakurazaki Setsuna opened her eyes for a moment, laying her sight on the two figures that were laying in an pressure-point induced sleep before her, all the while gently clutching her hand over the handle of her sword. She failed her lady once, and she had almost done so again.

A faint, barely perceptible smile pulled against her lips as she remembered what the others had asked of her for tomorrow. It was, _new _to her to think of such things. After all, half-demons made few friends, and she had distanced herself from her sole friend, Konoka because she had failed to protect her before.

It was a strange mixture of a sense of duty and debt to her family, care and love for Konoka, of personal pride and honor that bound her to the black haired girl that slept there so peacefully.

Maybe she could give it a chance, that friendship with others. Maybe, just maybe, she could grow stronger for it, like Negi did.

The other figure was of little interest compared to Konoka, but it was her duty to protect them both for now, and she would fulfill it or die trying.

"You know, you're taking this waaay too seriously." the previously silent figure sitting next to her noted.

"What is it you want, Clone-san?" she politely, but sharply asked in turn. The clone of the demon she had met a scarce few days ago was something of a novelty and irritation to her. For one, she had spent the better part of her life learning how to exorcise and kill demons, but she wasn't sure where this one stood. Certainly, he made no attempts to persuade her that he wasn't a demon, but he also didn't carry himself as one of those she had been used to. His actions so far, spoke of an honorable person, and that was enough for her to give him a chance. What he did with that chance, would decide her actions later on.

"Sheesh, no need to be all sharp and pointy. I was merely trying to offer some advice..." he trailed off, gently resetting the blanket he had covered himself in. It was a strange thing about these clones, Setsuna noted. Sure, they weren't 'real' in every sense of the word, but they were equals of the original in almost all mental tributes. Which also meant that they had his or her quirks as well.

Quietly, she sighed, mentally berating herself for letting her irritation get the better of her. If anything, Naruto would be the voice of experience

"See?You already feel a bit better." he stated, not moving a bit from his position, nor even looking at her. "You know, for mortals, life is too short to waste on foolish preconceptions such as social standing and origins."

"What are you implying...?" Setsuna trailed off, having some idea as to where the Naruto-clone was going with this.

"Only someone blind... or dense as a rock, would fail to notice the way you watch Konoka-chan over there when you're sure she can't see you." he continued. "Just saying..."

In that moment, Setsuna felt the distinct need to practice cutting people up, but she restrained herself. His advice held no malice or even teasing, just a heartfelt thought, even if a bit vague.

"And then there's Negi-kun..." he continued, but decided to leave the thought unsaid, feeling that she would understand what he meant.

"There is.." Setsuna replied, not really interested in continuing this somewhat unpleasant conversation, her face slowly taking up a more melancholy look.

"You worry too much Kagurazaki-san. Have some faith, things will turn out better yet." he commented with a light chuckle before going back to his light slumber. Setsuna took a short look in his direction, before turning her eyes back at her wards. She would have to think about the events of this night. Carefully. Friendly or not, she would not take the words without a grain of salt.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the mean time, inside the room he shared with Negi , the real Naruto was going over an altered version of the student register.

A card of sorts stood on his palm, while above it was projected an image of files belonging to Miyazaki Nodoka, Ayase Yue and Yukihiro Ayaka. However, I wasn't an ordinary file.

With a flick of his wrist, two additional panels popped out to the sides of each of the original ones, the left ones displaying a line of ancestry, while the right ones displayed all physical traits of importance.

"Hmm... they could prove to be useful allies in the future." he whispered, his left index finger drawing a complex symbol onto the rightmost panel.

_'Such an interesting character, Negi. To think he already gathered a couple of pacts, and with his pupils no less.'_ he chuckled at that thought. Negi, as funny as it was, was still hopelessly innocent, though a number of people were working on it, himself included. He would gave to talk to Chamo about that...

Another flick of the wrist brought up a number of other pictures. Varying pictures, of men, women, children, and entities of less recognizable origin. All of them potential allies or enemies in a conflict he was sure was soon to come.

The thought once more brought a deeply instilled sense of sadness. He had seen war far too many times to count, and over the millennium he lived, he had learned to anticipate their coming. There was a subtle undercurrent throughout society, a tension unseen to the naked eye, but there for those who knew how to look. Those unaware of the existence of the magical world were somewhat fortunate, as those events mostly escaped their attention, however, those wise or perceptive enough... they were a different matter altogether.

He, however, unfortunately stood far outside conventional circles. And for more reasons than simply(as if) being an elder demon.

Finally, only three images remained, of his two pupils, as it were, and of Evangeline. He had yet to devise a proper training regiment for the first two, and the last now held his interest as well. Evangeline was one of the few people in the world whom he respected, and it wasn't just for her prowess in combat and magic... though her 'older' appearance did help a bit.

An old memory stirred at that thought, and the sight of the great ballrooms of Vienna that echoed with sound of the waltz once more beckoned. He could remember it still, the soft, if constricting feel of the suit he wore as he danced the evening away. The smell of the noblewoman he had danced with, the soft fragrance of imported perfume, mixed with lust. He wondered if said 'noblewoman' still remembered the night, though he did wear a different appearance back then. When in Rome...

A soft chuckle escaped his lips as he began humming the familiar tone of Mozart's Requiem. He never did appreciate the waltz that much...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning found a small group of people gathered inside Negi's room. Naruto was seemingly long gone. Negi, Asuna and Setsuna had gathered in an impromptu war-room to discuss the plans for the day. While there were other teachers with the groups, he was in charge of his own, and that meant planning if he intended for the rest of the trip to pass without incident. And planning meant information gathering as well.

Of all the groups that survived to this day, the Kansai magic association was the oldest one, founded by an obscure group of Sōhei during the 12th century. Their history was pretty much obscure, but they seemed to have gathered a number of smaller families that dabbled in the magical arts over the centuries, over time forming the Shinmeiryu practitioners as their primary military branch. An interesting detail was that while they had relied solely on eastern magic, such as charms, summoning and the various weapon styles, to the point of being very distrusting of western mages. Enough so to pull enough political pressure to make Kyoto a forbidden area for outside magi. Still, it would seem that the trend had begun changing recently, and that a more progressive faction of the Association wanted to open up to both western magic and to the other practitioners in the east. But if the attack last night was any indication, there were those with different ideas.

"How do we do this?" Asuna was the first to speak, having finished her meal, while Setsuna was still eating, and Negi just didn't have the appetite to finish his.

"Lady Konoka has expressed the desire to visit her home." Setsuna stated "We will accompany you there."

"Ehm... don't you think it's kinda foolish to for us to be bringing Konoka into the lion's den?" Asuna asked her before Negi had the chance to comment anything.

"Why would it be? She's practically royalty there..." Setsuna asked in turn, mildly confused by her question. Didn't she know that?

"Asuna-san, I've checked last night. Konoka is the daughter of the leader of the Kansai magic association. They would welcome her with open arms. It's us that wouldn't be welcomed that much..."

"Ehh?"

"True. Outsiders are rarely welcomed into the city, but the current leader, Konoe Eishun-sama has made great strides to settle the differences between the many magical groups in the East." Setsuna explained.

"While that is all true, you shouldn't come with us now." Negi interrupted.

"Why?"

"Think about it. There is someone in the association trying to capture Konoka for their plans. We don't know how many of them are, much less who they are, and they could use the opportunity to attack her again."

Once more, Asuna and Setsuna were reminded just who they were talking with. Negi, for all his childish failings, was a genius in more ways than one, and his intellect, when aimed at a particular problem was a razor-sharp tool he knew how to use with the skill of an experienced surgeon. To Setsuna, it hadn't occurred that it was a possibility, simply because of her upbringing; she had believed that because it was their home, they wouldn't dare to attack there, but now that she thought about it, Negi had a point.

"Well, you could visit the city for now... there are a lot of sights to see in Kyoto." Asuna somewhat hesitantly suggested, bringing a finger up to her mouth in a rather silly thinking pose.

"That might be best for now." Negi added, and Setsuna conceded.

"However, I'm sending someone with you." she added, pulling out a strange, somewhat human-shaped paper with a string of kanji written on it. "Take it, I'll activate it when before you leave."

Enough was said, and they all had duties to perform for the morning. The other students, apart for Konoka, and potentially Mana, weren't potential targets, therefore, apart from his normal duties, there would be no problems.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sound of a gasp filled the small room as Tatsumiya Mana wrenched herself from her nightmarish sleep, drenched in cold sweat. Her first action was to check for her weapons, and was surprised to find them not only next to her, but cleaned and polished as well. And she wasn't alone in the room.

Across from her bed, sitting in a comfortable chair was Naruto. She remembered last night well, to well in fact, for her mental health. Certainly, she had seen corpses before, she had even killed a few people during the past few years, but a brutal slaughter like that... she could still feel the bile rising up her throat. Not even the demons she hunted were ever that brutal in their torments.

"Are you feeling better?" Naruto asked calmly. He would not cuddle her, such an action would be insulting to her pride, even more so than what she had done herself last night. The phone call to him, rather than Negi was no accident. He knew she wanted to avoid showing the young teacher something so... inhuman, so monstrous. Even with her twenty something years of age, she had never before seen anything that came even close, and she had known that Naruto would be better suited to handling something like that.

"Not by much." she tiredly responded.

"It will pass over time. If it gives you any comfort, I've found the scent of magic belonging the demon summoned, as well as of the summoners." he stated. "I've taken the liberty of cleaning and oiling your guns. The clips are loaded with your standard ammo. We can leave whenever you are ready."

His statement brought up something in her. He wasn't offering pity, nor compassion. He hadn't treated her like a little girl who needed to be protected. Instead, without being asked, he gave her the chance to set things straight, to do some justice for the nameless man who was killed. Certainly, she was a mercenary, one who worked for cash and avoided jobs where there wasn't any... but she was also a member of her family, even if an adopted one. She would not betray their teachings.

"Do we have enough time for me to take a bath?" she asked in a low voice.

"Just enough. I've contacted Evangeline. She will be joining us in about thirty minutes or so. Grab something to eat as well."

She nodded quietly, before quickly turning around, her legs slipping from under the sheets she was covered with. Only then did she notice that she was dressed only in her underwear. For a moment, she turned to at least curse a bit at Naruto, only to find said demon already gone.

Certainly, apart from the small, petty pleasure she would extract from the action, it would achiever nothing... but she needed that small, petty pleasure right now. Anything to get her mind away from the gruesome image she had seen there. Anything to chase away the foul, nauseating stench of the decomposing sacrifice she had seen there. To chase away the horrid look on the poor man's face.

_Click._

Never before had the sound of the pistol clip sliding into it's place sound so comforting. There would be bloodshed today.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Outside, Naruto was chatting with Negi about the forthcoming events of the day. The street in front of the hotel was blissfully empty at this morning hour... most of the people who went to work at this time took different routes

"Where will you be going for the day Naruto?"

"Huntin' those responsible for last night with Mana and a few friends of mine. I understand that you are going to visit the Kansai magic association to deliver that letter?" he asked in turn, stretching his hands somewhat irately. Unlike the others, he and Negi didn't have the luxury of sleeping last night as they kept watch over the others.

"Yes. Me and Asuna will be going there soon. Setsuna and Konoka will be going with the others to visit the city." he stopped, looking into the distance, eyes burning with determination. For a moment, Naruto thought he saw someone else standing there... first his father, Nagi Springfield... then himself, from a time before he had lost most of his passion. Almost against his will, a smile spread across his face.

"Please look after them." he stated softly.

"You don't need to ask, I will. Look after yourself kid... I get the feeling things are soon gonna go crazy."

"Don't they always?" Negi asked back with a smile of his own, and Naruto could only laugh.

"See? You're getting it!" he joked back, slapping the young boy on his back playfully. "Now, get that work over with and go have some fun. If things turn out well, I might be joining you pretty soon." he finished, lightly gesturing towards the girl who had just left the building.

"Let's hope so." Negi muttered before walking off to join Asuna who was waiting for him. Naruto only let out a mirthless chuckle as two figures joined him moments later, Mana exiting the building, and Evangeline leaving the shadows.

"Are you both ready?" he asked in a flat, emotionless voice. He was no longer the demon Spellbound, having shed that aspect of his personality. Back came an old part of him that he brought out very rarely, a part of him that had come into being while he was still human and a ninja. If anyone from then had still been alive, and there, they would have recognized the cold, blue eyes of ANBU commander Hawk, the relentless gaze glistening with cold, calculated precision and intelligence.

Quietly, he guided them to one of the side streets where he was certain they would remain unobserved for what he had in mind.

Hands rapidly moved through handseals for a genjutsu he hadn't used in a decade, moving at such speeds through the dozen or so seals that even Evangeline had trouble following, before settling into one with his left index and middle finger pointing upward, placed right under the nose of his slightly bowed head, while the rest of the hand was clenched and the right hand held the left by the wrist.

"**Ninja art: Step of the Ghost.**" he muttered, voice barely above a whisper. Had anyone been looking, they would have noticed a heat ripple in the air before the small street suddenly became empty.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What was that all about?" Asuna asked Negi curiously. She had seen him talk to Naruto, as the older teen seemed to be the source of a number mysteries and rumors. It made her feel somewhat uneasy, as she didn't know much about him, and yet, Negi seemed to trust him a lot.

"Just discussing plans for the day Asuna-san. We should get going, I really don't want to cause trouble by being late to a meeting." Negi rather skillfully deflected as the two of them walked.

After taking the train to the edge of the city, Negi and Asuna found their way to the entrance to what seemed a large nature preserve or park, a stone-covered path leading through a number of wooden gates. The facts that they had went a ways away from civilization and that there were no people here weren't lost on either of them.

Asuna felt something wriggle loose from the small backpack she had been carrying, and was mildly surprised to spot a miniature version of Setsuna pop out. She had wondered where the little goki had been hiding herself.

"Ahhh, much better, it was so stuffy in there!" the chibi complained.

"Well, we're here... but we're early." Negi asked

"Good... there was something I wanted to ask about this magic stuff." Asuna spoke, constantly looking around to make sure no one was nearby.

"Don't worry, it's safe to talk here." little Setsuna confidently stated. "No one who isn't going there comes here anyway." she explained, her tiny hand pointing at the stone path that led deeper into the forest.

It was the truth apparently, as the parking lot they currently stood on was completely empty, and nearby, they spotted a couple of what seemed to be picnic tables. Silently agreeing on the matter, the three of them walked/floated over to them.

"Okay, what do you want to know?"

"Uhm... let's start with how I could fight so much better under the effects of that pactio? I mean, I understand that invocation you used made me stronger, but how?" Asuna opened.

"That's a simple one. When I called out your name with the pact, it transferred an amount of magical energy from me to you, stretching it out over a period of time I specified. The real trick is in the way you use the magic subconsciously due to the pactio." Negi began explaining, fully in his element. If there was one thing he had truly impressive knowledge on, it was magical theory. "Basically, a part of the pactio is permanently burned into your magic and it imparts a basic level of enhancement by focusing that magic into a barrier around your body that grants more force to blows you make, and weakens those that come against you. From what I understand, those more skilled can infuse magic into their bodies to improve their physical characteristics, anything from reflexes, to strength, to toughness."

Asuna listened carefully, while to the side, little Setsuna was quite frankly, impressed by his knowledge, and by the rather interesting concepts western mages seemed to use. They were also strangely similar to the ways they fought.

"Wait a minute.. that would explain how you run so fast around campus." Asuna realized, pointing a finger at Negi, whose eyes widened at the fact.

"Then if I can do that, maybe..." Negi muttered, and both girls present could have sworn they heard the sound of gears turning, before a content smile crossed the boy's face. "Thank you Asuna-san, I just figured out something useful."

"Interesting." little Setsuna spoke "We use Ki to achieve similar effects for our weapons and hands."

"Ki?" Asuna asked again. No matter how much she learned, it seemed, there was always just enough left for her to feel like a complete idiot...

"Energy drawn from our bodies, unlocked through dedicated, harsh training over years." the little girl proudly responded, before her face darkened slightly "Though it seems most demons are capable of using it much easier than humans."

Neither of them realized the significance of her words, but they nodded nonetheless.

"Well anyway, I doubt most of the spellcasters here would pose much of a problem for the two of you." She added almost as an afterthought.

None of them were aware of a figure watching them from the side, so it came as a rather abrupt surprise when a gigantic spider crashed almost on top of them, carrying a relatively short figure on it's head.

"I'd watch what I was saying if I were you." came the irritated, punkish voice of the kid atop the spider.

They were all even less aware of Miyazaki Nodoka following them thanks to her book...

**Author's notes: **And cut. I had almost carried on, and if I did, it would have taken me at least another

* * *

week to finish everything properly... and frankly, I wouldn't have time to do so with the coming exams soon.

A few things to clear up, I've added a bit of history to the Kansai magic association for the sake of entertainment. The Sōhei were Buddhist warrior-monks most prominent during the 10th-13th century period from what I could gather. If you wish to learn more, check Wikipedia. I thought they would make a decent basis.

As you likely noticed, the story is taking a serious turn from the cannon storyline, and while some events will still take place, another few major turns will occur soon. I don't want to reveal anything yet, though.

Although, some of you may have noticed a trend I have been keeping for a while now....

Also, the area around the seat of the Kansai magic association is likely not a match to the one presented in the manga... I took some liberties here...

The literary genius of the Toad Sage will be making an appearance soon. You have been warned.

Well, back to the stuff I promised earlier. Here are the character bios for Lee Fen Dao and Keis, even though neither of them yet made a serious appearance in combat, they will during the next two chapters. Next time it will be Skadi, Naruto and Meshira. I've decided to delay the company profile for the Black Legion as they will soon be making a full appearance, and I'll drop it then. Keep in mind that these bios aren't complete, and that I haven't put _everything_ in.

_Character Profile:_

_Name: Lee Fen Dao, _

_Species: Chinese golden dragon – serpentine variant_

_Age: 91(apparent 35)_

_Height: 1.73_

_Weight: 70 kg_

_Appearance: Shortly trimmed graying black hair with a long tail to the back, black eyes. Dresses in comfortable clothes, most often an azure Chinese robe. Beneath it, he is well muscled._

_Special: Draconic magic, Shapeshifting_

_Known weapons: Unarmed (if dragon teeth and claws can be considered unarmed)_

_Interests: Traditional Chinese medicine, Tai Chi, alchemy, gardening, meditation, sneaking_

_Status: Black Legion medical expert, assassination expert_

_Character Profile_

_Name: Keis alias Ghostnet alias Cathy Thompson alias Ecatarina Alexandrova_

_Species: Human – pure, of Russian origin_

_Age: 26_

_Height: 1.65_

_Weight: 65 kg_

_Appearance: Short but lean, athletic build. Red hair on green eyes, usually combined with a mischievous smirk. Usually wears a blue beret, opaque black sunglasses, a long-sleeved white jacket and khaki shorts that go down to her knees, as well as a military-issue backpack with her equipment. _

_Special: Master-class hacker, capable of piloting any means of transportation that requires one driver with great proficiency , excellent marksman. Lethal sniper skills. Master escape artist and gymnast. Basic magic skills._

_Known weapons: highly customized Zastava Arms M93 Black Arrow, capable of super-sonic shots, silenced via magical means, a pair of Israel Military Industries Uzi, also customized and silenced._

_Interests: Hacking, high-tech gadgets, speed boats, learning magic, classical music, dancing_

_Status: Black Legion communication, engineering and information officer_

Also

Goki – for those who can't remember they are creatures summoned from paper charms, and in this story, it's a basic form of summoning. Rather powerful if done correctly, though.

Ninja Art : Step of the Ghost

Type/Rank: Genjutsu, illusion/ Rank B

No. of handseals : 13

Area of effect: Self and a 5 meter sphere around

Description: A visual illusion that makes the user, and those closely around him completely invisible to normal perception by projecting a shell of chakra around him or her. Everyone within that sphere, friend or foe is rendered similarly invisible. Sound or scent still transfer through it.

Well, that's it folks, I hope you enjoyed the read, and drop a review.


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